ATLA Book 4: Ashes
by elayne cypher
Summary: Both Ozai & Azula have been defeated, but they have left behind a nation that is both divided & in turmoil. As Zuko & gang try to restore a shattered world, a new enemy will emerge from the shadows, threatening Zuko & the one he holds most dear. Zuko will be faced with his toughest dilemma yet:will he follow his duty or follow his heart? A different type of Zutara with Action/Angst
1. An Inexplicable Attraction

Canon-Divergent AU - Zutara. Formerly Titled "What Was Meant to Be"

 **Author's Note** :

Story Summary - Both Ozai and Azula have been defeated, but they have left behind a nation that is both divided and in turmoil. Faced with becoming the youngest Fire Lord in history, Zuko finds himself in the middle of a nearly impossible situation. As he and the gang try to restore a shattered world, a new enemy will emerge from the shadows. When this hidden adversary threatens both him & the one he holds most dear, Zuko will be faced with his toughest dilemma yet. Will he follow his duty or follow his heart?- A different type of Zutara with Action/Angst, featuring the whole gaang

What do I mean by a different type of Zutara? A lot of fanfic's on here do the slow Zutara buildup, usually beginning earlier in the series and with them starting off either as just friends or even enemies, and the conflict/crux of the story focuses on them slowly falling in love. This can be a great way to tell the story, and there have been several authors on this site who have pulled it off brilliantly. For my fanfic, I wanted to do something a little different. I loved the natural chemistry that Zuko and Katara seem to have with each other, so I wanted to continue to build on that existing relationship. This story will focus on the internal and external forces that will shape Zuko & Katara's relationship and force them to make some difficult choices. As the saying goes, the future is never certain.

A Very Generic Story Overview (but no Spoilers) - I thought about categorizing the story into four parts, but then decided against it. This is basically how the story will be broken down. Chapters 1-7 are the Intro/Exposition that goes into Zuko as he transitions into his new role of Fire Lord and all the responsibilities and challenges that go with it. It will also continue to build on Z&K's relationship and reunite the Gaang back with them. Chapters 8-14 is the rising action section that introduces the main antagonists of the story, which will present several challenges to Zuko, Katara, and friends, and will lead to some tough decisions. Chapters 15-21 lead up to the first big climax of the story (with some angst in here), and finally Chapters 22-29(ish) will be a lead up to the last final challenge and resolution for Zuko and friends.

Other Notes – The first several chapters will be set during the finale of Season 3, and then will continue post-series. For the most part, my story will be told in the 3rd person, but will every so often switch to 1st person view for the occasional journal writing. The first section of this chapter happens just before the "Ember Island Players" episode, so it picks up after Katara and Zuko have dealt with Yon Rha and shared their infamous hug ;-)

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, or its characters, plot, dialogue, or anything else connected to it. So please, no suing.

* * *

Journal Entry -

I have never been so confused before.

Ever since my brother and I found the Avatar in the glacier by our village, my life has been pretty hectic, dangerous, and, at times, death-defying. But through all the craziness that has occurred in the last several months, there was always a routine in place, a certain recurring theme that kept me safe and comfortable. No matter who was chasing us or what sticky situation we were in, I knew that our little family would make it out alright and that later we would be sitting around a fire, cracking jokes about what had happened to us. I had gotten used to our little circle of four, Sokka, my irascible yet overprotective brother, Aang, the avatar and hope for the world, yet also my kind and caring friend, and Toph, who, despite her rough exterior, did have a kind and loyal heart. But now our circle has grown, and while I instantly welcomed Suki's presence, Zuko's appearance, however, was a much different story.

The pages of this journal are full of my loathing for him-the arrogant Fire Prince whose only goal in life was to capture the Avatar, and even when he came to our group with his fervent pledge of loyalty, I didn't believe him. We had shared a brief connection in the crystal caves of Ba Sing Se, but the sting of his betrayal was still fresh in my mind, and unlike the others, I had not so easily forgotten it.

I was surprised, then, when he came to me and offered to help me find my mother's killer. Even as I agreed to his plan, I couldn't help but think that there must be an ulterior motive for him helping me. But as the days spent traveling with him passed, it slowly became apparent that his desire to help me was genuine. He never once questioned my actions or my desire to find Yon Rha, displaying a trust in me that even Sokka and Aang had not shown. Despite all my open hostility towards him, he still supported me and treated me with kindness and respect.

As much as I hate to admit it, I was wrong about Zuko. There's a lot more to the Fire Prince than I had first assumed, and now that I've seen the changes in him firsthand, I can no longer allow myself to hold onto my grudge.

It's been nearly two weeks now since we arrived at the Fire Lord's abandoned home on Ember Island, and the changes in our surroundings seem to reflect the changes that have occurred in our little group. Though I do still get to train with Aang now and then, he spends the majority of his time with Zuko practicing his firebending, or with Toph on earthbending. I guess I should take it as a compliment to my diligent teaching that Aang has done so well in waterbending, but still…I would think Aang could find a **little** more time in his 'busy schedule' for his first teacher and friend. But I guess I can't really blame Aang for that. If it weren't for Zuko and Sokka keeping him on a strict regiment, Aang would probably spend most of his day making up games to play on the beach or adventuring in one of the nearby towns.

With all the extra time on my hands, I've been tidying up the beach house to make it at least somewhat inhabitable. The sheer size of the house is somewhat overwhelming when you have to go into every room and clean up whole spiderweb colonies and dust that's inches thick…not to mention finding things in the oddest places (why would anyone put quills and inkpots in the kitchen pantry is beyond me…what's next?—pots and pans in the attic?). It's slow progress, but its progress nonetheless. I noticed a door that had a flower painted on its front the other day, which is strange because it's the only one in the entire house that I've seen so far with any kind of decoration on it. Part of me wanted to go in the room just to see what was in there, but something told me not to. Maybe I'll ask Zuko about it later.

Speaking of Zuko… we've slowly been hanging out more and more when he's been between training sessions with Aang. It was kinda awkward at first, but the more time I spend around him, the easier it's getting to interact with him—whether it's talking, helping with cooking and cleaning for the gang, or even sparring. At first, I viewed these practices with Zuko purely as a means to improve my bending, but as time goes on, I find that I am actually enjoying them and having fun (Yes, I actually mentioned 'fun' and 'Zuko' in the same sentence… it still feels weird). He really is a good fighter, and extremely competitive, but he is also very careful and mindful of my safety, which shows a gentler side to him I hadn't thought possible. Each day I find myself eagerly looking forward to our sparring match, and I am no longer sure it's because of the actual fighting or because I enjoy the close contact that comes with it.

Sometimes I catch him looking at me with that intense gaze of his, and I could almost swear that it hints of something more than just friendship… but this is Zuko I'm talking about, so I'm probably just imagining things. And even if I'm not making something out of nothing, I'm not even sure of my own feelings towards him. I mean, he's the Prince of the Fire Nation, and just a few months ago he was chasing us and making our lives miserable. I know he's changed, but how can my feelings for him change so quickly? It doesn't make sense, and only leaves me more confused….

Footsteps approaching in the darkness snapped Katara out of her writing, and she hastily closed her journal and put it back in her pouch beside her. Just as she looked up, Aang walked out of the darkness and up the steps of the porch into the torchlight, looking a little anxious for some reason.

"Hey, Katara."

"Hey, Aang," she smiled at her friend, "How's the meditation going?"

Aang fidgeted where he stood, "Oh, it's going great and everything… but I, uh, came because I wanted to ask if you would like to take a walk. You, know, on the beach, since we haven't really hung out much lately."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess we have both been a little busy. I would enjoy a walk by the water."

"So, that's okay?"

"Sure, let's go," Katara replied as she stood up and then went to stand beside a beaming Aang.

The beach house was situated very close to the water's edge, so it only took a moment for them to reach the beach. As they slowly began to walk along the water, she glanced up at the starry sky above them, and noted gleefully that the moon was nearing its full state. _Good,_ she thought, _the next time Zuko and I are supposed to fight at night, I'll have even more of an advantage on my side._

"-hope you've not been too bored," Aang had started speaking, so Katara hastily turned her attention back to the boy beside her.

"No, I've actually been pretty busy. Between trying to make that house livable again and sparring with Zuko-"

"You and Zuko have been practicing together?" For some reason, his tone sounded suspicious.

"Yeah, it's been helping me learn how to counter a lot of the firebending moves. I mean, we are in the middle of the Fire Nation, so it only makes sense."

"I guess so," he reluctantly admitted, and then he brightened up, "You and I haven't had a sparring match in while. We could practice here on the beach so we both have plenty of water to use."

Katara grimaced as she remembered the last time she and Aang had a true 'sparring' match. While she enjoyed practicing with Aang and teaching him all the waterbending moves she knew, their practice fights weren't very thrilling, to say the least. While Katara would go into an all-out offensive in trying to reach her opponent, Aang would almost entirely stick to defense, and any attack he made would be purposely aimed several feet away from her. It was hardly a competitive match when the opposition treated you like a porcelain doll.

"We don't have to, Aang. I know you're really tired from all the practicing you've been doing all day. We can do it some other time."

"I'm not really that tired-" he protested, but Katara interrupted him.

"Aang, you've already been doing so much, I don't want you to overexert yourself."

A frown appeared on his face, but it disappeared as Katara put a hand on his shoulder, "I think you push yourself too hard sometimes. I worry about you."

She had hoped that her words would soothe her friend, but the anxiety that she had seen in him earlier appeared again.

"So, you do care about me?"

The question took her by surprise, "Of course I do, Aang. You're my friend. I would never want anything to happen to you."

"And I'd never want anything to happen to you, either. I'll always protect you, Katara. I promise."

The look in his eyes was making her uncomfortable, so she removed her hand and turned to the side, "I know that, Aang."

Katara began walking again, so Aang quickly followed suit. She steered the conversation back to Aang's training, and thankfully he complied, excitedly relating to her his progress so far. He became less nervous and more like his usual self the more they talked and strolled along the beach, allowing Katara to finally relax and enjoy herself as well. Soon they turned and headed back the way they came, the two of them falling into their comfortable routine. When they came up to the path that led back to the beach house, Aang stopped and turned to her hesitantly.

"Um, Katara, before we head back in, I wanted to ask you something…"

He didn't continue right away, so she prompted him, "What did you want to ask?"

A touch of nervousness entered Aang's voice, "Well, I've been meaning to ask you this for some time." He struggled with the words, "So…we've been friends for a while now, and we both really care about each other…"

As Aang was speaking, a figure materialized out of the darkness as it approached them. When she realized it was Zuko, Katara seized on the opportunity to derail the increasingly uncomfortable conversation. She hastily interrupted Aang. "Oh—hey look, it's Zuko."

Aang looked surprised as he turned to face the firebender. When Zuko realized they were both staring at him, he stopped and warily glanced between the two of them. "…hey guys." His words were apologetic, and a little awkward. "I didn't know anyone was out here. I was just going for a walk."

"Yeah, we were too," Aang coolly replied. When Katara studied her friend's face, his expression was a mixture of different emotions…could one of them be jealousy?

Zuko must have noticed it as well. "I think I'll go back and get some practice in instead. I'll see you guys in the morning."

A sudden idea struck Katara. "Wait!" Both guys looked at her questioningly. "If you're going to practice, I'd like to join you." When Aang started to speak, she hastily explained herself. "If Zuko, Toph, and I are supposed to start teaming up against you, we need to make sure we work as a team. I haven't gotten nearly as much practice with Zuko as I've had with Toph." She gave Aang an encouraging smile. "We got to make sure it's challenging, after all."

Aang returned her smile, although it was tinged with disappointment. "Yeah, I guess so."

Katara didn't like seeing him so down, so she told him, "We could practice tomorrow, just you and me, if you'd like…"

This had the desired effect, and he cheered up considerably, "That would be great! We could practice tomorrow morning."

Zuko frowned. "You're supposed to practicing firebending in the morning."

"But I've been doing firebending forms _all day long_ , and I'll do more tomorrow afternoon…and the day after that." He directed a pleading look at Zuko. "Please, Sifu Hotman?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, and then sighed. "Fine…on the the condition you don't call me Sifu Hotman anymore."

"You betcha!" Aang grinned at Katara. "I'll see you later, Katara."

"Bye, Aang," she replied as she watched head back to the house.

Once Aang had left the beach, Zuko turned to her, "So… was I interrupting something?"

She felt her cheeks heat a little. "No, it was nothing."

"It didn't seem that way to him."

"Aang just has a lot on his mind right now, that's all… Look, do you want to practice, or not?"

The corner of his mouth turned up. "I'm all for it."

They walked a little further up the beach, and soon Katara stopped along the water's edge. "Here, this spot looks good to me."

As Zuko positioned himself, he smirked at her. "You ready to lose again?"

His arrogant tone irked her. "Catching me off guard after Sokka 'accidently' chucked a boomerang at my head doesn't count as a win."

"Distractions are part of fighting in a battle. You just don't want to admit you lost."

"Whatever, we'll see who comes out the victor after tonight," Katara answered, emboldened by the extra strength she felt with the moon's presence, "We're in my element now."

Before the last words had left her tongue, Katara drew a large stream of water and aimed it directly at Zuko, whose brow had become creased in concentration. He answered with his own large stream of fire, and a hissing emerged as the two elements collided and turned into steam. Even as the steam still hung in the air, Zuko let loose a series of punches and blasts, and as they approached Katara, she could feel the thrill and excitement of the battle take over her.

She pulled a large stream of water in front of her, which easily dissolved all the blasts directed at her, and then split the stream into two water whips. Pulling her arms back and then snapping them forward, the water whips sped forward and lashed out at the firebender. Zuko, however, had immediately begun moving as soon as he saw what she had formed, and rolled out of the way just as they cracked above his head. As he finished his roll, he suddenly swept one of his legs out in an arc, and a wave of fire tumbled towards Katara, its radius increasing as it closed in on her.

Forming the water at her feet into a board, she created a wave underneath her and glided up and away from his fiery attack. Still on her water platform, she used her bending to direct the wave and surf along its surface as she headed towards Zuko. As she gracefully flowed towards her opponent, Zuko aimed some small precision shots at her body, but she easily guided separate streams of water to block them.

Landing a few feet away from him, she wrapped the water around her arms and used her water tentacles to lash out at Zuko. His eyes narrowed in determination as he created his own fire whips in return and moved to intercept her streams. More hissing and steam escaped as they repeatedly tried to strike at different places on each other, only to be blocked. An idea then struck Katara, and as both of their whips collided in midair, she pulled two smaller coils of water from the ocean around her and wrapped them around Zuko's ankles. Before he had time to react, she pulled the water coils back to her, effectively sweeping Zuko off her feet.

"Ha! How do you like that!" she yelled in victory, but it was short lived at the firebender immediately jumped back to his feet. His expression told her he was nowhere close to giving up.

"It's not over yet."

He then jumped up high, and as he came back down, he brought both his arms out ahead of him. As his arms swept down, a pillar of fire formed in front of him, and as the motion ended, the large stream hurled towards Katara. Surprised at the size of his attack, she gritted her teeth in determination and created two huge, crisscrossing walls of ice in front of her. There was a loud thud as the fiery stream hit her defenses, and as the ice absorbed the brunt of the attack, it cracked, and the concussion of the leftover blast knocked Katara backwards.

Shaken, but unharmed, Katara took her stance again, as Zuko called out to her, clearly worried. "Katara, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she told him, and she hardened her resolve at winning their match, "But if you think I'm going to let you get away with that, you have another thing coming."

 _Okay, Fire Prince, prepare to be amazed_ , she thought as a daring plan came to mind. Katara let her left arm hover over the water that splashed at her feet, and she slowly began to walk back into the ocean. Drawing into the depths of her waterbending, she reached out to the surrounding water and began to slowly force the ocean directly around them to recede, little by little. Keeping the majority of her skill and attention on this task, she meanwhile used her right hand to throw small ice daggers in Zuko's direction, in an attempt to draw him in.

It worked, for while Zuko was able to easily counter her meager attacks, he was also straying closer to where she stood in the midst of the significantly lower ocean tide. Once Katara thought they were both far enough in, she stopped pulling the large mass of water away from the shore and waited for the right moment. When she felt the next massive wave coming towards them, she switched the flow of her waterbending and abruptly heaved it all back to the beach, with an unsuspecting firebender in its path. Zuko didn't have any time to react before the huge tidal wave rushed in on him and swallowed him whole.

Katara, who was now bobbing in neck-deep water, allowed herself a victorious smile. She gleefully began preparing some choice gloats for Zuko when he popped out of the water. As the seconds ticked by, however, and there was still no sign of Zuko, her smile disappeared. Worry began to gnaw at her. _I've seen him swim before, so he should have been fine. Where is he?_

Out of nowhere, a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist and yanked her whole body down into the depths of the water. She quickly spun herself around to come face-to-face with Zuko, who even though he was underwater, still had a grin on his face. With the sweep of her arm, she started to propel them back to the surface, and as they moved, Zuko tightened his arms around her and pulled her even closer to him.

They both gasped for air as they broke the surface of the ocean, and once Katara got her breathing back under control, she became very aware of how close they were. Even in the cool water, she could feel the heat radiating from all over his body, almost as if he had a fever. It was starting to make her head swim.

"You're so warm," she found her saying, as if her words had a will of their own.

Water dripped off the locks of his black hair that fell into his eyes, which, at that moment, were intently studying her, "Yeah, it comes with being a firebender."

His close proximity was definitely starting to wreak havoc on her nerves. All she could think about was how good this felt, and how a part of her didn't want this to end. But with that realization, her head finally caught up with the rest of her body.

Katara felt her cheeks heat up as she quickly pulled back and gently, but determinedly, began to disentangle herself. _What am I doing? Get a hold of yourself, Katara._

"Katara? Are you-?"

"I'm fine," she replied quickly, "We should probably head back to the beach."

"You're probably right." Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought she heard a touch of disappointment in his voice.

They quickly made it back to the beach, where they both used their bending to dry out their clothes. Katara was satisfied to note that her method was faster. Focusing her attention back to their original reason for coming out here, she addressed Zuko smugly, "I think I can safely say that I won tonight's match."

He rolled his eyes at her. "I wouldn't call trying to drown your opponent as winning."

She smirked at him. "Last time I checked, someone who's drowning doesn't swim halfway across the beach to pull water pranks on another person."

"You do if you're trying to get back at the person who attempted to pull half the ocean down on top of them."

"So admit it, you were impressed."

Zuko shook his head. "Remind me never to fight you next the ocean anymore."

Katara beamed. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

* * *

Katara's brother, Sokka, had pulled them into a lot of crazy misadventures throughout their journey, and she thought she had been through the worst of them. She was wrong.

 _Sokka must have been sucking on some cactus juice when he recommended this play to us. After the show, I will personally go and find a frozen frog and shove it down his throat!_

They were at the theater on Ember Island, watching the Ember Island Players perform their new play, "The Boy In the Iceberg". When the second act had finished, she had practically ran out of the theater, in an effort to escape that atrocity and try to clear her head. It was the _worst_ play she had ever seen. The actors were horrible and the characterizations were _completely_ off. _I am NOT a complete sob that preaches all the time! Ughh!_

And then there was that completely embarrassing, no, _mortifying_ , scene in the catacombs, where the actors playing Zuko and Katara declared their love for each other and embraced. Both her and Zuko had turned completely red and did their best to become invisible right on the spot. _Where did this writer get his information? Did he have spies placed in every nook and cranny from the South Pole to Ba Sing Se? And that was NOT how it happened._

Katara heard footsteps behind her, and she turned to see Aang walk onto the balcony beside her. She saw that he looked troubled, but she was still dealing with her own issues, so she said nothing.

"Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?"

She arched an eyebrow at him, "In where? What are you talking about?"

He seemed very squeamish, and it took him a moment before he seemed to get the courage to speak, "Inside, on the stage, when you said that you didn't love me… because I was like a brother to you."

Katara was so shocked that she didn't answer right away. _Well, he kinda is like a brother to me… but why is he is acting like this?_

"I didn't say that, Aang, an actor did."

"But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the invasion, and I thought we were going to be together. But we're not," he said, in something that was close to a pout.

Katara definitely was not in the mood for this. "Aang, this isn't the time to discuss this."

Aang didn't seem to want to let it drop though. "This when is it, Katara?"

She threw up her hands in frustration. "We're in the middle of a war, and we have other things to worry about, like trying to save the world as we know it from a maniac. Now is not the time."

"Katara, please, just answer me."

"I'm sorry, Aang, but I don't know how I feel right now."

She thought that should have signaled the end of it, but before she knew it, Aang had stepped forward and planted a quick kiss on her lips. She was shocked only for a moment, and then she was angry. "What's wrong with you! I just told you that I was feeling confused! I'm going inside."

Katara started to make her way back to the theater, but Aang's next words stopped her in her tracks, "What happened between you and Zuko in the catacombs?"

She was very glad at that moment that her back was turned and it was dark outside, for she knew she was blushing like a sunset, "We… it was…nothing. Nothing, okay? Just drop it."

Without waiting for him to reply, she hurried back into the theater and found their seats. Luckily, she was the first one back, so she didn't need to explain to anyone what had happened. _Yup, this was definitely one of the worst ideas, ever._ Soon enough, her friends were all back in their seats and the last act started.

The third act was, unsurprisingly, just as painful and awful to watch as the first two acts. The only two that seemed to enjoy themselves were Toph and Sokka. Apparently, her brother had gone backstage and given the actor some new jokes to tell. Whenever Sokka heard one of his jokes told, he would start laughing hysterically and blathering on about how he told him to say that.

Katara clenched her jaw in both anger and frustration. _If I hear that one more time, I'm going to stuff HIM down Appa's throat!_

But even Toph and Sokka lost their enthusiasm when they had to watch both Zuko and Aang's characters die on stage. And there were something very unnerving about listening to an audience cheer about your friends' deaths. Needless to say, when the play was finally over, their group was one of the first ones out of their seats and into the lobby of the theater.

Sokka tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Hmm… I thought the final battle between Ozai and Aang was a bit underwhelming. I mean, Aang didn't even use all of his bending elements! Why would we drag Aang back and forth, from one side of the world to the other, kidnapping and picking up stray master benders along the way, only to use just airbending against the Firelord? I mean, it makes no sense!"

She heard several groans amongst her friends, she shook her head, "Sokka, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're never letting you drag us to a play, ever again."

"Oh, come on, it wasn't _that_ bad. In fact, I want to go talk to that actor one more time. I thought of some more jokes I want to give him before we leave."

Suki just grinned as she and Sokka left and went to the backstage of the theater.

Toph looked in the direction of where Sokka and Suki just left and announced, "I think that's a great idea. I want to tell my actor about what a good job he did."

"Come on, Twinkle Toes," she said as she forcefully grabbed Aang and proceeded to drag him along with her.

Since Katara had absolutely no desire whatsoever to go backstage, she decided to go back outside on the balcony she had stood in earlier. By this time, the moon was out, and its full form was a bright beacon in the starry sky. She found her thoughts then shifting to her earlier conversations with Aang. Even with his responsibilities as the Avatar, Aang still had a very playful and childlike personality. Though he had shown moments of seriousness and wisdom, she was reminded, like with tonight's occurrence, just how much younger Aang was than her.

 _I do like Aang, but I don't think I like him the same way that he likes me…_

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard footsteps off to the side, and she looked over to see Zuko pull the hood of his cloak back and lean against the railing.

"Well, this has been a disaster," he said in a dry voice.

Katara sighed, "Tell me about it. I mean, they portrayed me as a helpless girl who either cried or preached about hope the whole time!"

She heard Zuko utter a short laugh. "Well, sometimes you do get kinda bossy and opinionated."

Maybe on another night, she would have laughed it off, but for tonight, it was the last straw, and her temper flared. "Excuse me? At least I'm not so obsessed with my own honor that I'll stab people in the back to redeem myself!"

Zuko's face immediately paled with anger. "Yeah, well, maybe I am a little obsessed with honor. It's kinda hard to ignore when my lesson about honor was permanently scarred on my face..."

Katara realized that she had gone too far, and it was a few more moments before she found her voice again. "Zuko, I'm sorry…"

His expression remained hard as he turned to the side. "Yeah, whatever."

"Zuko-"

"I don't want your pity," he replied gruffly as he straightened up and began to walk away.

"Zuko, wait!" she pleaded, and she was relieved when he stopped.

"What do you want?" he asked without turning around.

Katara walked over and faced him. She could tell his guard was still up, but at least he stayed put.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said. But I didn't want to apologize because I pity you, it's because I care about you. There _is_ a difference."

She saw his expression soften as he processed what she said. He then got a sheepish look on his face.

"Oh, well, thanks… I guess I'm still not used to being around people that actually… care about me. My uncle was the exception, but now he probably never wants to see me again."

Katara could tell that he was thinking about the dialogue in the play, the scene in which the Zuko told Iroh that he hated him, but she knew he would never admit it.

Placing a hand on his arm, she tried to lift his spirits. "While I may not have spent a lot of time around your uncle, I don't think that sounds like him. I think he would have been proud of the choices you've made now."

After a long moment, the corner of his mouth tugged up in a small smile. "I hope you're right. Of course, I guess you _are_ the expert on hope…"

"Ughh! Just forgot about that stupid play," she practically growled, "It got everything wrong, anyways."

His eyes shined with some new emotion she couldn't quite place. "Everything, huh? There must have been a few things that were true."

A blush spread over her face as she thought about the catacombs scene again, which must have confirmed what Zuko was looking for. His gaze lowered until it finally came to rest upon her lips. Katara held her breath as he slowly leaned in closer. She closed her eyes in anticipation, and in that moment , she abruptly heard Toph's voice behind them.

"Hey guys! I met my actor backstage and he is amazing! I even… wait, are you two okay?"

The second they had heard Toph's voice, the two of them had scrambled in opposite directions, and were now trying _very_ hard not to look at each other. Thankfully, Toph was alone. At that moment, Katara was very glad that the earthbender couldn't see them.

"We're fine," Zuko replied evenly, and with a calm that Katara envied.

Toph crossed her arms and gave them a look that said she clearly didn't believe them, "Hmm, that so? Then why are both of your hearts going a million miles a minute and thumping loud enough for the next village to hear?"

"We were just talking," Katara stated, and she decided it was time for a change in topic, "So, where is Aang?"

"I'm here," he replied wearily as he walked to Toph's side, "but I think I'm ready to leave now."

"Good idea," both Zuko and Katara said at the same time.

They glanced at each other, but they both quickly looked away again. Within a few minutes, the group was back together and Katara was happy to leave the theater behind them.

All the way back to the beach house, her thoughts were consumed by two things, the kiss and the almost-kiss. And strangely enough, it was the latter that sent Katara's heart racing, and would stay foremost on her mind throughout that night.

* * *

Not surprisingly, Katara found it nearly impossible to go right to sleep after the events of that night. After tossing and turning in her bed, she finally decided to get up and head out of her bedroom. The old beach house was huge, and consequently had plenty of rooms, so everyone in the group had gotten to have a bedroom for themselves.

She paused outside her doorway, unsure of where she should go, but since the thought of going outside wasn't particularly appeasing, she began to make her way into a different part of the house. As she walked down one of the hallways, she recognized one of the rooms she passed from when she was cleaning the other day, and on a whim, decided to go in.

While all the rooms in the house could be described as decorative and lavish, this one also felt warm and inviting. The colors of the room didn't seem so harsh and formal here like the others, and here and there Katara could see little mementos of the past. Little things that told snippets of story, like a small, black-haired doll laying on a dresser, a child's drawing laying on the desk, and several little origami figures that were scattered across the shelves.

Respectfully, she observed the memories but did not disturb them. She let herself drift through the large room, until she came to stand in front of the only picture displayed on its walls. It was a sketching of a beautiful woman with long, dark hair, dressed in elegant clothes, and who looked to be only a few years older than Katara. But the thing that drew Katara's gaze and inexplicably held her there, was the loving smile that seemed to light up the woman's entire countenance.

"That's a picture of my mother," a soft voice said behind her, and Katara spun around to find Zuko standing a few feet away from her.

Her heart was still hammering in her chest at being found in such a manner, and her words came out in a rush, "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to walk around and I came in here… and I didn't touch anything, I promise."

But there was no anger in his tone, only gentleness. "It's alright. You're the first person who's probably been in here for years."

He then let his eyes roam over the rest of the room, pausing every so often when something stirred a memory, until he focused on a small origami figure on a shelf close to him. It appeared to be an elaborately-made flower, and she could tell it was important to him in how carefully he picked it up.

"Did you make that?" Katara asked curiously.

"What, this?" he shook his head, "No, my mother made this. She was always better at making the lilies than I was."

She was pleasantly surprised at this revelation. "You know how to make origami?"

A faint blush colored his cheeks. "It was something my mother taught me when I was little. She used to leave me little flowers and animals when I was a kid, either as a surprise by my bed or around the palace for me to find."

Katara couldn't help but smile as she envisioned a little Zuko running around the palace, playing with his mom. "Sounds like you have a lot of fond memories of her."

"Yeah, I do."

His gaze then went back to the picture of this mother, and he appeared lost in his own memories as he slowly approached its resting place on the mantle. Katara came and stood next to him.

"She's really beautiful."

Zuko remained quiet for a few moments, and then he finally spoke, "She's been gone for so long now, that sometimes I'm afraid that I'll forget what she looked like. She had this way of smiling, not just with her lips, but smiling with her eyes. When she smiled at me like that, she made me feel so happy… and I knew that everything was going to be alright."

His voice had become thick with emotion by the time he finished, and instinctively Katara took his hand and threaded her fingers through his. "I know how you feel. I've thought the same things about my mother, too."

She felt him squeeze her hand, and when he turned back to her, she saw his eyes filled with understanding and a shared sense of grief. "I guess we have more in common than I thought."

Looking down at their intertwined hands, he spoke so softly she almost didn't hear him. "It just doesn't seem fair, does it?"

Images of her mother and the day she died began to flood Katara's mind, and she closed her eyes against the pain. Facing Yon Rha had opened up a wound in Katara that she had thought was long healed. _I still miss her so much… will I ever feel completely healed?_

Katara felt something brush against her cheek, and when she opened her eyes, she noticed that Zuko had taken his hand and brushed away the tears she hadn't realized that had fallen. His golden eyes found her own, and she was instantly captivated by the warmth and gentleness that lay within them. As they held each other's gazes, the turmoil within Katara's mind quieted, and soon an array of entirely different emotions took over her. Almost on their own accord, her eyes drifted to the different parts of his face, as if seeing it for the first time. Her gaze traveled down to unflinchingly roam over his scar and contrasting smooth skin, until they came to linger on his lips.

Realizing where her thoughts had taken her, she blushed and quickly looked away. His hand reluctantly fell away from her face, and she immediately missed its warmth.

Silence fell between them, until finally Zuko spoke, "We should probably get some sleep."

She nodded, her voice quiet, "You're probably right."

While on her way to the door, Katara snuck another peek at the firebender, but he never looked in her direction. Just as she stepped on the other side of the door, his voice made her pause, but she didn't turn around.

"Good night, Katara."

She heard both the tenderness and the regret in his voice, and knew it mirrored her own as she answered him, "Good night, Zuko."

Later that night, as Katara laid in bed, she would replay what happened that evening again and again her mind, wrestling with her feelings. Finally, her exhausted mind quieted, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

When Katara woke up the next morning and prepared to head out, she noticed that something had been slipped under her door. Curious, she went over and picked it up, and immediately recognized what it was. It was a small, white origami that had been carefully folded into a lotus flower. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she lovingly examined all the details in the little figure, and her pulse quickened at the meaning behind its appearance.

Maybe she wasn't as confused as she thought.

* * *

Author's Note:  
I started this fanfic several years ago, wrote on it for a while, and then stopped with life kinda happened. I've always wanted to come back and finish this fic, and now I finally have the time and motivation to do so-yay! :-D I had 21 chapters already written back when I stopped, and I've finished another two chapters; by the time I'm done I believe it will be about 28-29 chapters long. My goal is to post about a chapter a week as I continue to finish the last chapters of the story.

The first three chapters are a little slower because there is a lot of character/relationship building and time to set up the plot. By the time we get to Chapter 4 (and then especially Chapter 8 again), however, the main plot and conflict starts to kick off and the action/suspense starts kicking into high gear-so I hope you stay and enjoy the ride! ;-)

I would love to hear what you think so far! (comments are really great ways to motivate writers and give constructive feedback) ;-) Thanks!


	2. Sozin's Comet

"Don't worry, Zuko, we can take care of Azula."

Deep in thought, it took Zuko a moment to register what Katara had said. The two of them were sitting side-by-side on Appa, flying toward the Fire Lord's palace to confront his sister. There had been a lot on Zuko's mind since leaving his uncle and the Order of the White Lotus at their last meeting. The happiness and relief he felt at reuniting with his uncle had eclipsed every other thought and emotion for days afterwards. But as the caldera of the Fire Nation capital loomed ever closer in their view, other feelings began to gnaw at him. His sister and his father were at the center of most of them.

"It's not her I'm worried about," he told her. "I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What is he loses?"

Katara put a hand on his leg and gave it a squeeze. "Aang won't lose. He's gonna come back. He has to."

He gave her a small smile and tried to look more reassured, even though he didn't really feel it. While part of him kept thinking about Aang and his father, another part of him worried about Katara.

Zuko had wanted to face his sister alone-not out of some misguided sense of honor-but because he knew better than anyone else just how sinister and deadly his sister was. He didn't want anyone else getting hurt trying to fix his family's problems. His uncle had objected, however, and so the only natural choice was Katara. Katara was not only a master waterbender, but they also had fought well together in the past, and he could trust her completely. _I hope I don't come to regret my decision. If anything happened to Katara…_ It was a thought that he didn't want to finish.

Even though they didn't stop much on the journey to the palace, it still took several days to get there. The sun was just above the horizon by the time that Zuko and Katara finally reached the top of the large crater that contained the Fire Nation palace. As they got closer to the palace, Zuko could see a number of robed figures in the ceremonial plaza. _Those must be fire sages. The only reason a large group of them would be gathered outside would be the coronation ceremony. Azula…_

Right before Appa touched down, he heard the leader of the fire sages announce, "By right and decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord…"

At that moment, however, the group finally heard their approach, and Appa let out a loud growl as they landed in the courtyard. Zuko jumped down and headed for his sister. _It's time to end this._

"Sorry, but you're not going to become the Fire Lord today. I am."

"Ha! You're so hilarious, Zuzu," Azula taunted as she rose from her kneeling position and began to descend the steps between them.

As she approached, Zuko began to realize that something was wrong with Azula. She had always, at all times, been extremely neat and precise with her appearance. But here she was, with her hair chopped crookedly and messily done, and her robes crooked and wrinkled. And there was something new in her voice, something that gave him goosebumps. _It's like something about her is twisted, or warped. Has she finally gone completely insane?_

Azula gave him a malicious smile. "You want to be Fire Lord, Zuzu? Fine. Let's settle this. Just between me and you, sister against brother. In the showdown that was always meant to be-Agni Kai!"

Every other time Zuko had faced off against Azula, he had gone into the fight knowing that his sister was the better firebender. This was something that he had grudgingly accepted long ago, and it was part of what had driven and pushed him to train harder and longer every day. Now, however, he sensed the change in both of them and their abilities, and he knew that the scales had tipped the other way.

"You're on, Azula."

"Zuko!" he heard Katara's surprised protest, and she immediately grabbed his arm, trying to get his attention.

"What are you doing?" he heard panic start to creep into her voice, "You're letting her manipulate you! She knows that she can't take on the both of us at the same time, so she's trying to separate us!"

"I can take her this time. I don't have time to explain it, but there's something off about her, like she's slipping."

"But you can't-"

Zuko turned and looked into her deep blue eyes, eyes that were filled with concern, "I can do this. Just trust me, Katara."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, trying to reassure her, "Besides, this way, no one else has to get hurt."

Zuko could tell she didn't like it one bit, but she gave him a squeeze back. Her eyes seemed to plead with him.

"Zuko, please be careful, okay?"

He nodded, and then moved into the courtyard to take his place. Once the courtyard had been cleared, Azula and Zuko moved to the opposite ends and knelt, officially beginning the Agni Kai.

Azula removed her Fire Lord robes and gave him another devious grin, "I'm so sorry it has to end this way, brother."

Zuko focused on clearing his mind and stepped into a firebending stance. "No, you're not."

He remembered the teachings of the dragons, and instead of being fueled by anger, his bending was instead powered by determination and will. He could feel the power of the comet pulsing through his body as he stood there preparing himself. It seemed to burn through every vein and muscle in his body and supercharge his body's energy, making him feel as if he were the comet himself. Zuko had never felt so powerful and indestructible in his life. _I can do this._

Azula spun and thrust her palms out, throwing a huge blast of blue fire at Zuko. Zuko brought his arms down, creating two enormous waves of orange flames that shot forward and easily stopped her attacks. Their fight now began in earnest.

Their blue and orange flames lit up the night sky above the palace, and if Zuko hadn't been fighting for his life, he might have stopped to admire the beauty in its raw power. As their fiery battle progressed, Zuko started to notice a change in the way Azula was attacking. From the very beginning of the battle, his sister had, as usual, gone on the offensive, and had shown the power and quickness that always characterized her fighting. Little by little, however, Zuko's attacks began to overpower hers, and now it was taking all of her skill just to stay on the defensive. She was slowly getting weaker and more sluggish, which in turn only made her angrier and more unstable.

As Zuko hurled twin columns of orange flame at Azula, he saw her face in the light of the inferno, and what he saw there amazed him. Her eyes had widened, and a new emotion he had never seen on her face before suddenly appeared. It was fear.

At the last second, Azula leapt to the side, just barely escaping his attack. A crazed look entered her eyes as she thrust herself into the air and headed towards him, rocketing over the ground on jets of fire from her hands and feet. She began shooting huge blasts of fire at Zuko as she circled around him, creating a massive sphere of blue fire that completed surrounded him.

He effortlessly blocked her attacks and then crouched on the ground, performing several spinning sweep kicks that created a powerful ring of orange fire. The ring of fire expanded, dissipating the blue flames that it came in contact with as it then raced towards his sister. She hastily tried to create a shield of blue flame, but it was too late. The orange flames burned through her defenses and threw her backwards onto the ground, where she lay for a while, gasping in pain.

 _This is it,_ Zuko thought. _It ends. Right here, right now._

He watched as Azula slowly got to her knees and picked herself up, all the while still gasping and breathing heavily. _I need to end this, quick. If I could get her to use her lightning against me, I could redirect it back at her and finish this, for good._ And he knew just how to do it, too.

"What, no lightning today?" Zuko asked her as he prepared his stance. "What's the matter, Azula? Are you afraid I'll redirect it?"

She bared his teeth at him like a wild animal and then started to move into her own stance. "Oh, you want lightning? I'LL SHOW YOU LIGHTNING!"

As Azula proceeded to wave her fingertips around in arcs to generate the lightning, Zuko took a deep breath and waited for the coming strike. Right before Azula moved her arms to direct the lightning, he saw her look off to the side, away from him.

 _What is she-?_ But then he saw it. At some point, Katara have moved closer to the battle, and was now standing on the edge of the courtyard. Close enough to be in Azula's range.

A malicious smile appeared on Azula's face, and he watched in horror as she then moved her arm and pointed it straight at Katara.

"NO!" he screamed at her, and what happened in the next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion.

Without a second thought, Zuko turned and ran to where the lightning was beginning to shoot out of Azula's hand. As the lightning surged forward, he threw himself in front of Katara, determined to protect her no matter what the cost.

The lightning that his father had thrown at him on the day of the eclipse was child's play compared to this. Agony engulfed him as the power and heat of the lightning hit him square in the chest. It took every scrap of will power he possessed to focus and redirect the bulk of the lightning upward as the pain threatened to consume him. He hit the ground hard, and he laid there, trembling, as the remnants of the lightning coursed through his body.

An image of Katara smiling at him flashed through Zuko's mind, and he clung to it desperately as he fought off the blackness that tried to take him under.

* * *

"ZUKO!" Katara yelled as she stood, paralyzed by fear, and watched as the Fire Prince dove between her and the lightning.

 _NO! This can't be happening!_ she thought frantically as she saw the lightning hit him and throw him to the ground. At that moment, the only thing that existed for her was Zuko, and in her need to go to him, she completely forgot about Azula.

Katara already had the water in her hand to heal him and was halfway across the distance when a bolt of lightning hit in front of her, completely stopping her in her tracks. She heard Zuko groan as she darted to the side, which gave her some relief, since at least she knew that he was alive, for now.

Azula then appeared on the roof of a nearby building, and she swayed from side to side as she started to laugh maniacally, a sound which sent shivers down Katara's spine. _I can't believe it, she's gone_ completely _insane!_

"Katara," she heard Zuko mutter weakly, and his whole body shook as he tried to lift himself off the ground. She gasped as she saw him convulse and fall back to the ground.

"Zuko, hold on!" she called out to him as she headed towards him. Just as before, however, Azula's lightning bolts struck the ground between her and where Zuko laid, making her change her course again.

"I'd like our own family physician to look after little Zuzu, if you don't mind!" Azula screeched as she threw bolt after bolt of lightning at Katara.

Katara gritted her teeth in frustration as she had to dodge attack after attack, each time leading her a little further away from Zuko. Anger flared in her. _I'm going to have to take her out first before I can heal Zuko. I'm going to need some more water… There!_

She saw a water fountain on the edges of one of the buildings, so she quickly started bending, and aimed a huge stream of water towards the spot where Azula stood. The princess avoided her attack and then jumped off the roof and out of Katara's sight.

 _She's still too quick… I have to find some way to slow her down._

More lightning came rushing towards her, and as Katara darted from building to building, she finally found what she was looking for. A large drain was cut into the ground underneath one of the buildings, and she could sense a large amount of water in it. _Okay, there's something to work with._ As she glanced around the rest of the area, her eyes caught on a glint of metal on one of the pillars, and with a rush of excitement she realized it was a long chain.

 _That's it! Now I just got to get Azula in the right spot…_

Katara didn't have long to wait. She had just grabbed the chain and reached the edge of the water drain when the deranged princess appeared underneath the building.

"There you are, you filthy water peasant!" Azula shrieked as her eyes widened in hate. "I'm going to enjoy killing you!"

The fire princess rushed at Katara and pointed her arm at her, starting to summon the lightning once again. At the same time, however, Katara had raised her arms and gathered the water underneath them, bringing it up through the drain and instantaneously freezing both of them inside.

Azula's eyes widened in surprise and she became frantic when she realized she couldn't move. Katara merely exhaled and began to melt the ice around her into water, enabling her to move inside the large block of ice. She slowly moved behind Azula and began to wrap the chains tightly around the princess's wrists and ankles. Once Azula was secured, Katara used her bending to turn the rest of the ice into water, dropping them both onto the drain. With Azula now incapacitated, Katara immediately ran over to Zuko

"Zuko!" she cried as she knelt beside him and put a hand on his side. He groaned as she gently turned him over on his back, and she gasped when she saw his front. A section of his robe had been burnt off, and a large, pink wound now gaped in the middle of his chest. She immediately pulled some water around her hand and leaned in closer to him, so that she could heal him.

Zuko opened his eyes and caught her gaze. "Katara," he whispered, and then coughed when he tried to speak again.

"Shhh," she soothed him, "Just hold on. I'm going to heal you now."

She pressed her hands on top of his wound, and the water immediately starting glowing as it worked to heal his injury. He sucked in his breath sharply and tensed as his wound healed. When she finished, he let out a sigh and relaxed.

 _He's going to be okay_ , she reassured herself. When Zuko's eyes opened and his gaze locked on her, her pulse began to quicken.

"Thank you, Katara," he said softly as he moved his hands and placed them both over hers.

Tears began to form in her eyes as she thought about he had done for her. "I'm the one who should be thanking you. You risked your own life to save mine. I can't begin to repay you for it."

"You don't have to," he replied with a small smile that warmed her heart. As she brushed his soft black hair from his eyes, she was struck with how attractive Zuko was. _He_ is _handsome. How did I not see it before?_

Zuko grimaced as he attempted to sit up. Katara quickly moved to help him, and she couldn't help but enjoy the feel of her skin touching his.

"Where's Azula?" Zuko asked as he took a moment to recover himself.

"It's taken care of. She won't be going anywhere or causing any more problems for a while."

His face immediately hardened and he slowly began to stand up. "Take me to her."

Katara saw the determination in his eyes and knew there would be no use to delaying it. With her helping to support him, they slowly made their way closer to the drain.

Azula was lying on her side, with her hands and ankles still bound together by the chain. They could hear her whimpering as she struggled furtively against her bonds, and occasionally a burst of blue flame would escape from her mouth. When Katara and Zuko stopped a few paces away, Azula's head swiveled in their direction, and Katara unconsciously shrank away from the madness that she saw running rampant there. _It's like every shred of humanity in her is completely gone. Is there anything left in her to save?_

Zuko hadn't said anything yet, and when she glanced over at him, she noticed his expression was completely devoid of any emotion. It saddened her to see him look at his own sister with such apathy, but she also couldn't fault him for it, for Azula had proven time and time again what a monster she was. Katara couldn't even begin to imagine what Zuko was feeling. _Sokka may drive me crazy sometimes, but I know that he loves me and would stay by my side, no matter what. Zuko deserved better than this._

Without a word, he turned away from Azula. With Katara's help, they started making their way out of the courtyard and into to the palace itself. Zuko had directed them to his bedrooms once Katara had insisted that he needed to lie down. As they made their way down the various halls, Katara realized that they hadn't come across any other people so far. A palace of this size should have had several servants and attendants stationed in all parts of the building. Zuko frowned when she mentioned this to him.

"You're right, there should be. If I had to guess, this probably had something to do with Azula."

Katara agreed, but, unfortunately, there was nothing they could do about it right then. Soon enough, they came to Zuko's rooms, and as they stepped into the large antechamber, she admitted that she was impressed by its size and grandeur.

"Wow, Zuko, this is pretty nice."

Zuko merely shrugged as they continued into his bedroom, "It actually feels kinda weird to be in here now. For the past three years, I've either been living in ship quarters or sleeping besides a campfire. Well, except after Ba Sing Se…"

He trailed off with an embarrassed look. Both of them remained quiet as they approached the bed and Zuko sat down along the end of it. Sighing, he carefully took off his torn shirt and leaned against one of the massive bedposts.

Katara felt a slight blush rise to her cheeks as she watched him. She had seen Zuko with his shirt off before when he sparred with Aang, but she had never been this close to him. She couldn't help but marvel at how hard and sculpted his chest was, and notice how much larger and more muscular he was than Aang. There definitely wasn't anything childlike in Zuko's physique.

Wincing, Zuko looked down at the partially healed wound and gingerly touched it. "I guess I'm going to have to take it easy on the field trips, huh?"

Katara quickly sat next to him and pulled a little water in her hand from her pouch. She placed it over the wound, examining it thoroughly. Her healing had now become a source of pride for her, and she wanted to make sure that she did a good job. Thankfully, his injury had healed most of the way. "I'm going to have to give you a few more healing sessions before it's fully healed. But then you'll be as good as new." She gracefully guided the water back into her pouch, but yet she couldn't bring herself to pull away from him. Zuko seemed to notice it as well.

He gave her a warm smile as his amber eyes caught hers. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing that I have my own personal healer at my side." Her breath caught as he reached up and gently cupped the side of her face with his hand. Happily, she leaned into its warmth. For several moments, they just looked eagerly into each other eyes, as if trying to memorize the exact colors and emotions that swirled within them. Then, ever so slowly, Zuko leaned towards her. The warmth between them seemed to intensify as their lips came closer, and finally met.

His lips were soft and warm, and she melted into the kiss. Everything else just seemed to fade away. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her whole body seemed to tingle and glow with a heat that left her feeling heady. She put her hand on his chest, to steady herself. Feeling the heat of him under her hand, however, only made her head spin faster. Her touch seemed to have jolted him as well. His lips suddenly began to move around hers urgently, making her heard pound double-time.

It felt as if she had fire pulsing through veins. The feeling was intoxicating, and in no time she was kissing him back just as fiercely. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own as her hands slipped behind his neck and back, instinctively pulling him closer against her. As soon as she did that, however, she immediately felt him tense, and their lips broke apart. Confusion flooded through her until she saw him put a hand over his injury. In the heat of the moment, she had forgotten about his wound.

"I'm sorry," she said in embarrassment, "I wasn't really thinking…"

Zuko chuckled, "It's okay, I wasn't really thinking either." He smiled again, and she felt her stomach do a little flip. They were still so close to each other that she could feel his breath against her cheek. It sent a little shiver down her spine.

Zuko's smile faded into concern. "Are you cold? We could find you some warmer clothes if we need to…"

Katara blushed. "No, I'm fine! It's not that, it's just…" Her voice trailed off as her words failed her. As dazed and overwhelmed as she felt, it seemed a tremendous effort just to string two thoughts together. It was almost ridiculous the effect he was having on her. She needed to clear her head, but that was going to be near to impossible with him sitting half-naked next to her.

"I should go-" She hastily stood up. "-I need to find some bandages and wrap your injury."

"Okay..." He seemed a little confused at her abrupt change in subject. "But I should come with you, and show you where the supplies are-"

"-No," she firmly interrupted him, "I'm perfectly capable of searching for it on my own, no matter how big this place is. You need to stay put and get some rest."

He shook his head. "I can't. I just got back, and there are so many things that I need to do-I don't have time to just sit around."

"Zuko, you _need_ to rest. Your injury is still not all the way healed, and if you don't rest, you're going to wear yourself out and fall flat on your face."

"But-"

"No buts. I am your personal healer, and what I say, goes. Fire Lord or no," she added with a small smile.

At first it seemed that he was going to argue further, but finally Zuko just nodded. Unable to resist, she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before heading for the door.

"Hey, Katara?"

She turned around to face him. She loved the huge grin that lit up his entire expression. "Yes, Zuko?"

"I'm really glad that you're here with me."

"I am too," she replied simply. From that point on, a warm glow seemed to surround her. It stayed with her all the rest of the evening, even into her dreams.

* * *

Author's Note: I love the Agni Kai scene so much (the fight between Azula and Zuko is just so kickass, and what Zuko does for Katara just gets me every time) that I just had to put it in my fanfic. The first time I watched it I was expecting some Zutara action at the end (I mean, Zuko risks his life for her, for crying out loud) and was very disappointed when it didn't happen, so since I was going AU anyways, I worked it into my story ;-)

I had several scenes from the show in my first two chapters to establish a base and continue building from there. Starting in the next chapter and going forward, it's going to be new stories and adventures for both Zuko and Katara (and eventually the rest of the Gaang too). Hope you stay tuned! Thanks!


	3. Dreams and Lingering Doubts

He was in the palace courtyard again, at night. There was a certain feeling about the scene in front of him, something that seemed familiar… He recognized it just before he heard someone laugh behind him. The sound, however, wasn't pleasant. Rather, it hinted of something sinister and twisted. Azula.

His instincts were correct. He turned around to see Azula, her clothing and demeanor the same as it was when they had fought their Agni Kai. Her gaze was filled with both anger and hate. It also hinted of madness.

"So you really think you can be the Fire Lord, brother?" she gracefully made her way closer to him, her eyes never leaving her prey. "It's pathetic, really. You're a disgrace, a disappointment. All you've ever done is fail, over and over again." As she moved into a firebending stance, she sneered at him. "You can never be the true Fire Lord. You're too weak!"

He wanted to tell her that she was wrong-that she didn't know what she was talking about, but he couldn't get the words to form. Azula threw her hands up, and in a flash, blue fire was hurtling towards him. He quickly blocked her attack, and then threw himself into their fight. He once again felt the tremendous strength and additional power of the comet as they furiously traded blows with each other.

"It's time to end this, Zuzu!" Azula shrieked as she dodged another of his attacks. He watched as she twirled her arms and summoned the lightning from her fingertips.

Dread started to form in the pit of his stomach as he recognized what was about to happen. There, standing in the courtyard behind him, just like that night, was Katara. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched Azula point the lightning directly at her.

He screamed at Azula to stop, but all she did was smile at him. It was a smile of pure evil.

Panicked, he tried to run and put himself in the path of the lightning, but something invisible was slowing and weighing him down. He wasn't going to make it…

To his horror, he watched as the lightning slammed into Katara, striking where her heart was and surrounding her in an eerie blue light. Her eyes rolled up in the back of her head and she fell lifelessly to the ground. Full of shock and grief, he ran over next to her and moved to pick her up. But as soon as he touched her, she disappeared. For a few moments he felt confusion, but it was quickly replaced by anger as he stood to face the source of all his pain and anger.

"You'll pay for that, Azula," he told her in a voice as cold as ice. As he thought about all the things that his sister has done to him, all the times she has tricked him and tried to kill him, his anger grew. He welcomed the rage, and he gave himself fully to it as he began to move and summoned a fiery inferno. Twin columns of red fire roared to life and raced towards Azula, who tried to create a hasty shield. The red plumes of fire quickly overwhelmed her defenses, and she was thrown back as the full force of the fire hit her.

He slowly walked over to where his sister laid. As he approached, she slowly turned her head towards him. A sinister smile formed on her lips. "We're not so different, you know."

"You're a monster, Azula, and I'm nothing like you."

Her smile grew bigger. "That's where you're wrong, brother. The same anger and lust for power that's in me runs through your veins as well. The throne will change you and corrupt you, just like it did with father, and grandfather, and great-grandfather."

"No! You're wrong." Zuko squeezed his eyes closed, trying to shut out her words. She had always tried to fill his mind with doubt and fears.

Her voice now seems farther away. "You have now tasted true power, and that power will slowly consume you… Fire Lord Zuko."

He shook his head, trying to fight the fear and doubt that now seems like a physical presence trying to suffocate him.

"Azula always lies." He tried to claw his way out of this place, desperately seeking a way out. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to get away…

Gasping for breath, Zuko abruptly sat up in his bed. The movement immediately made him wince at the sharp ache from his wound. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. It took several breaths to accomplish this, and to get a bearing on his surroundings. He realized that he was in his bed in the Royal Palace, which confused him until he remembered that he and Katara had just arrived here last night, in order to deal with his sister. _Azula… I guess it was too much to hope that since I've defeated her, she would no longer be in my head._

It was embarrassing to admit, but he frequently had nightmares. Most of them centered around the circumstances of his banishment, and so he had learned how best to deal with them. He closed his eyes and took several deep, calming breaths as he pushed everything out of his mind and began to center himself. Once he felt his body relax and his mind better focused, he opened his eyes. Though his room was still somewhat dark, the greys of the coming sunrise had begun to bring some light in. _No use trying to get some more sleep now…_

After checking that the bandages wrapped around his chest were still in place, he got up and decided to head outside, to help clear his mind. He only had pants on, but putting on more clothes while minding his bandages was more trouble than he wanted right then, so he headed to the antechamber as he was. He was careful not to make any noise as he passed through the room, since Katara was sleeping on the floor not far away.

 _Stubborn girl,_ he thought as he remembered their conversation the night before. He had told her to sleep in his bed while he slept on the floor, but she wouldn't have it. Katara had stubbornly insisted that since he was wounded, he needed the bed, and he had found it impossible to convince her otherwise. She also had refused his offer to stay in another guest bedroom. After what they had both been through last night, he could understand why.

Silently, Zuko slipped out to the large balcony that overlooked part of the palace grounds. The air was cool and the first hues of pink and yellow were beginning to show in the eastern sky as he took in the morning view. He leaned against the ornate railing and studied the grand landscape around him. Even though he had spent most of his life here, part of him still felt like a stranger to this place, like he didn't quite belong here. _I've felt like that for a long time now… ever since my mother disappeared._

That was a painful thought that he quickly shoved aside. But it was soon replaced by images from his dream. The logical side of him told him to forget about it since it was just a dream, but something in him couldn't shake it. It left him a little disturbed. _I'm going to be the Fire Lord now, and I'd be lying to myself if I said I wasn't scared. I've spent my whole life preparing and waiting for this. Everything I've done over the last few years was all for that one purpose- to regain my honor and take back my right to the throne. And now… I'm not even sure I deserve this. I've made so many mistakes, and struggled to do what's right. What if Uncle is wrong? What if I can't be trusted?_

His sister's words from the dream repeated again in his mind. _I say that I'm different from my sister and father, but is that the truth? I've always been quick to anger, and my temper got me and Uncle into trouble so many times that I've lost count. And then there was Ba Sing Se… I was so selfish and callous. Have I really changed that much since then?_

He heard some soft footsteps behind him, announcing Katara's arrival. "Zuko? Is everything okay?"

Hearing the concern in her voice, he turned around to face her. The sun's first rays were now spilling out over the landscape, and its brilliant yellow light bathed Katara in a soft golden glow. _She's so beautiful... I've never felt so thrilled to be around someone, not even when I was with Mai. Is this what it's supposed to feel like?_

He noticed her cheeks flush a light pink shade. When he realized that she was looking down at his clothes-or mainly, the _lack_ of clothes-he blushed. Whether it was from his sense of modesty or from her intense gaze, he wasn't sure.

"Sorry," he muttered as he quickly turned away from her, "I should have put a robe on… I didn't think you'd be up so soon."

"It's okay," Katara hurriedly answered, "I was just worried… and I wanted to check on you." She came up next to him, resting her arms on the railing close to him, "You had trouble sleeping?"

It was more a statement than a question. However, he was still reluctant to open up about what he had experienced. "I'm just not used to sleeping in a bed like that anymore." He redirected the conversation back to her. "How about you? Did you sleep okay?"

"Okay enough, all things considering."

Something in her expression told him there was more to it. "Bad dreams?" he asked her.

She nodded. A look of worry and sadness washed over her features. "It was about Aang, and your father… it didn't end very well."

She shivered, and for a few moments it seemed that her unspoken fears were going to pull her under. But then one of her hands reached up to touch her mother's necklace. When she looked back up, Zuko saw that same hope and determination that always blazed in her eyes. It was that same inner fire that fascinated him and drew him inexplicably to her. "I'm not giving up hope on Aang, though. I have to believe that he'll come back to us, that they _all_ will."

The same worries had been troubling Zuko, but he tried to duplicate her optimism. "Aang's a tough kid. If anyone can take on my father, it's him. In fact, they're probably celebrating their victory lap and are on their way here as we speak."

That made her smile. "Yeah, and my brother's head has probably swelled up twice as big from all the bragging he's done about how this was all his plan."

Zuko snorted. "Yeah, well, we can relief him of his swelling later when they're back at the palace." _After they're back from fighting Ozai..._ His good mood dwindled as a sobering thought came to mind. _And what will I do when they show up and tell me my father is dead? How I am supposed to feel about that?_

Katara glanced back over at him. "I can tell that something is still bothering you. It's okay to talk about it… that's what I'm here for."

Zuko's first instinct was to deny it or brush it aside. He had never been one to talk about his feelings or his dreams, even to his uncle. It had become almost a force of habit to keep himself closed off and isolated. _But I guess some habits are worth breaking._

Zuko stared at his hands awkwardly as he tried to find the right words. "I had a dream about Azula. About what happened last night, except it was different. At the end of our fight, I killed Azula." He squeezed his eyes shut at the images that came unbidden, "And the worst part is… I didn't regret it all."

There was only silence for a time, until he anxiously opened his eyes and glanced at Katara, but she was looking out over the palace grounds. She remained quiet for a few moments before she finally spoke. "I've had similar dreams about Yon Rha… and afterwards, I'd always feel horrible, like I'm somehow less of a person. But then I would remember something someone once told me."

She finally looked over at him, her blue eyes determined, "Dreams are just dreams. Sometimes they can guide us, but it's ultimately our choices in life that makes us who we are."

"Our choices," he repeated bitterly, "If that's the case, then I really am no better than Azula."

"Zuko, that's not true."

"Is it, Katara?" His anger flared, but it was directed at himself. "Look at the choices I've made over the past few years. I burned villages, hurt innocent people, and betrayed the only family member who loved me so that I could capture the Avatar. I was willing to destroy our only hope of a peaceful future-all so I could win the love and respect of a heartless tyrant who wished me dead!" He was gripping the railing so hard his knuckles were turning white. "I'm just as pathetic and twisted as the rest of my family. I don't deserve to be the next Fire Lord."

Katara's hand slipped over his, and she waited to speak until Zuko finally met her gaze. "Zuko, that's not true. Yes, you did make some bad choices in the past. Believe me, I know that better than most. But I _also_ know of all the good choices you've made to get you where you are right now. You chose to leave everything behind to join our group and teach Aang firebending. You chose to stand up against your sister and fight her because it was the right thing to do. Not to mention how you _risked your own life_ to save mine. Those are selfless acts that your sister and father can't even comprehend, much less duplicate. Why do you think your uncle stood by you this whole time? You _are_ a good person, Zuko."

Bits and pieces of his uncle's conversations with him came to mind, and he finally offered a small smile. "I think my uncle has been trying to tell me that this whole time, but for some reason, I wouldn't listen to him."

Katara took his hand and gripped it firmly with hers, "Well, you should. He knows what he's talking about."

Her touch had a soothing effect on him, and he was amazed at how much more relaxed and at ease he was now. It seemed the more time he spent with her, the more comfortable he become around her. She had such an open and caring personality, he could see why she had become part of the glue that held the group together.

"Thanks for coming and checking on me," Zuko admitted to her, "It feels good to talk to someone."

"That's what I'm here for," Katara answered, and then she slowly, but carefully, wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his shoulder.

Zuko had gone still at the first touch of her embrace as his reserved nature took over. He immediately relaxed, however, and returned the hug. Lightly resting his head against hers, he closed his eyes and drank in her presence. She was soft and warm, and seemed to fit perfectly in his arms. He finally felt peaceful, and calm.

Katara pulled away ever so slightly and tilted her head up. After a moment's hesitation, she leaned in and kissed him. He returned the kiss gently and softly, even now a part of him fearing that she would pull back and end this. She instead responded eagerly to his lips and deepened the kiss. Instinctively, he closed his arms around her tighter and pressed her even closer to him, ignoring the slight twinges of pain coming from chest. He marveled at the intensity and passion of her kisses, so different from the cool and almost indifferent kisses that he had shared with Mai. Their kiss was long and intense, and neither wanted to end it, but soon they broke apart, gasping for air, and clutching on to each other as if for dear life.

They stood there a for while, just enjoying each other's presence, when they were interrupted by a rumbling and growling noise that emanated from Zuko's stomach. He pulled away in embarrassment, but Katara just laughed and rolled her eyes.

"I swear, sometimes I think boys have two stomachs. I guess we should find you something to eat before you fall over."

He shrugged apologetically. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. We'll head down to the kitchens, there should be something in there we can eat."

After Zuko managed to get into one of his robes, they made their way through the large palace to the kitchen area. They still hadn't seen any servants in any part of the palace, and that bothered Zuko. With Katara's help, they managed to find some food, so they began to preparing their meal using what they found around the enormous kitchen. Zuko located the tea leaves and started some tea for them, smiling at his uncle's influence on him.

They had finished making their breakfast and were halfway through their meal when they heard footsteps approaching where they stood in the kitchen. Both of them immediately stood up and faced the noise, each slipping into a bending stance. They relaxed, however, when they saw an old couple come into view. The couple was apparently just as surprised to see them there and Katara and Zuko were.

By their manner of dress, they appeared to be servants. Zuko's suspicions were confirmed when he saw how they reacted to him. Recognition dawned on them as they both glanced at his scar, and they immediately knelt to the floor.

"Prince Zuko," they both said in a rush, and he could tell they were both on edge. The elderly man kept his head down and he quickly added, "We did not realize that you were here. Please know that if we had, we would have come to you sooner."

"Please, get up," Zuko replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. For some reason, they both seemed very afraid of him, and he wanted to ease their fears. _I need to figure out what has been going on, and I would bet it has something to do with my sister._ "It's okay, just tell me what has been happening here. Where is everyone else?"

This time it was the woman who answered, "They have all fled the palace, Your Highness. All except for the two of us, and our son and daughter. Excuse our manners, my name is Satomi, and my husband is Jiro."

Jiro inclined his head in acknowledgement, and then explained, "After Fire Lord Ozai left, Princess Azula was put in charge of the palace. But she soon began banishing anyone who even slightly displeased her, and not only the servants, but also her bodyguards and the generals as well. It wasn't long before everyone else fled the palace to seek shelter in the city itself. We can't get around so well anymore, so our family has been keeping to the servants' quarters."

Katara's voice was full of dismay, "I always knew Azula was rotten, but how could she do this to her own people?"

Zuko grimaced. "My sister has only ever cared about herself. Anyone else was just a means to an end, even if they were family or friends." He looked at the man and woman in front of him with sympathy. _How many people have to suffer for my family's crimes? It isn't right._ "What Azula did was wrong, and I intend to fix it. Is there any way to get the others to come back?"

The elderly couple nervously glanced at him before looking at each other, clearly hesitant to speak. After what Azula had been doing around the palace, he couldn't exactly blame them.

It was Katara who then spoke up in a soothing voice, "It's okay, Zuko and I just want to help you. You can trust us."

Jiro blushed and then cleared his throat, "I apologize, Your Highness. We didn't mean any disrespect. It's just that… we didn't expect any help. And when we saw you, we thought you might be displeased with us."

Zuko sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong. Please believe me when I say that I don't share a lot of the views that my sister does."

Satomi hesitated before she spoke, but as she talked she became more sure of herself. "We've served your family for many years now, Your Highness. We watched both you and your sister grow up, and we saw how different you were. It's good to know that some things haven't changed. " She then smiled wistfully, "The late Fire Lady, your mother, always treated us with kindness and respect. If I may say so, Prince Zuko, I think you take after her."

 _My mother…_ Zuko fought off the tears that tried to form. _I need to focus on the present, not the past._ He struggled to keep his voice even. "Thank you… that means a lot to me."

Jiro looked at Zuko worriedly, "Prince Zuko, if I may ask… will Azula still become the new Fire Lord?"

Zuko shook his head, "No. Azula has been defeated and the fire sages have taken her to the prison tower." He paused, "I will become the next Fire Lord."

Looks of relief washed over their faces, and Jiro smiled. "That is good to hear, Your Highness. The others will be relieved to hear this, as well. We should be able to convince them to come back to the palace."

"Perhaps we can help," Katara offered.

"Thank you, my Lady, but they will be more inclined to trust one of our family," Jiro then looked determinedly at his wife, "Yuri will have to go find them and tell them."

"No!" Satomi suddenly became very worried and afraid, "We can't, not after what happened yesterday, Jiro."

"Satomi," her husband's voice was gentle but insistent, "It is our duty… it is what's right."

Zuko interrupted them. "Hold on. What happened yesterday?"

Jiro frowned, "Our son, Katsu, went into the city around noon yesterday, to get some herbs and medicines for us. It should have been a quick trip, but he hasn't returned yet. Katsu can usually take care of himself, but lately we've heard rumors that the guards here in the capital city have been throwing innocent people in prison."

"We can't send Yuri out there," Satomi pleaded with her husband, "What if they took her? They probably already have Katsu…" She trailed off and Jiro took her hand, trying to soothe her.

Zuko, however, had already made up his mind. "We're going to look for your son. If our own soldiers are putting innocent people in prison, we have a serious problem, one that I can't ignore."

Jiro's eyes widened in shock. "But, Your Highness… you could be putting yourself in danger!"

"Zuko," Katara said quietly, and when he looked over at her, he saw her worried expression, "Are you sure about this? You should be taking it easy, with your injury."

While he appreciated her concern, his mind was set. "I'm sure, Katara. I've suffered worse injuries than this, and without the healing. Besides, my sister is the one who created this mess, so it's my obligation to help fix it."

She nodded her head in approval. "Alright, but I'm going with you. No arguments."

He grinned. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Prince Zuko," Satomi said, her voice thick with relief and gratitude, "we can never repay you for your great act of kindness."

"You don't need to," Zuko replied, feeling a little self-conscious. "I know what it feels like to have to work for your meals and fight for your own survival. I just want to do what's right."

Satomi gave him a small smile. "And that is why I believe you will make a good Fire Lord, Your Highness."

He was touched by the couple's faith in him, but there were a lot of obstacles in the road ahead, not just for him personally, but also for the Fire Nation as a whole. Zuko could only hope that Satomi was right.


	4. The Path That Lie Ahead

Zuko watched the people passing in front of the shop with a wary eye, but without trying to draw attention to himself. He had the hood of his cloak pulled as far forward as possible, which effectively shadowed his entire face. Even though it was midday, the streets of the royal city were nearly empty, with only a few citizens here and there crossing its unusually quiet paths. Those that chose to travel stayed single-mindedly to their purpose, neither stopping or straying from the middle of the street, with their heads down and their pace never slowing. The few faces that Zuko had managed to get a glimpse of showed the same things, worry and fear. This observation alone was enough to convince him that something wasn't right in the city.

Zuko heard footsteps from inside the shop approaching the door next to him. He quickly pushed himself away from the wall and turned to see who it was. The sudden movement had produced an ache from his old injury, but he studiously ignored it. Katara had done another extensive healing session with him before they had left the palace, and while the area still felt tender and sore, it was nearly healed. The footsteps came closer, and he relaxed when it was Katara that stepped out into the street besides him.

They had agreed that it was best if they both dressed as inconspicuous as possibly. Zuko, or rather 'Lee' as he had been going by, had put on a simple tunic and pants underneath his cloak. Katara had put on the Fire Nation outfit that she had packed before leaving the group. Though he had seen her in the red and gold clothes before, he kept finding it hard not to stare. The outfit exposed quite a bit of skin, not to mention how it emphasized her curves… Zuko gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

Katara sighed. "Same thing as the others. More stories about the guards picking people up off the streets, and no sign of Katsu."

Satomi and Jiro had told them where the herb shops were that Katsu would have visited. Zuko and Katara had taken turns casually questioning the shop owners in the area. So far, they hadn't turned up much, and the number of herb shops that Katsu could have visited was getting smaller.

"Somebody had to have seen _something_ ," Zuko insisted, "We have to keep trying."

Katara nodded in agreement, but then her attention turned upwards, towards the sky. Zuko noticed her brow creased in worry. _She must be looking for Aang and the others to show up... I hope they're all okay._ He tried to reassure her. "I'm sure Aang and the others are fine. They'll be here soon."

She frowned. "I was hoping they'd be here by now. You don't think something has happened, do you?"

He put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "They're probably still on the way here. It's a long journey from the Earth Kingdom, and they would probably have to take an airship here since they don't have Appa. They'll be fine." _At least, I hope so._

"You're probably right," she said with a sigh, "I'll just feel better once I know for sure that they're all okay."

Zuko reluctantly removed his hand and inclined his head towards the end of the street, "We should keep going."

Katara agreed, so they began walking to the next herb shop, which was a little farther down the street. They passed more empty stands along the street, which was becoming noticeably narrower and more cramped the further from the city center they were. This time Zuko went into the shop, and soon he was greeted by a short, squat man in his middle years.

"Can I help you?" the man asked in a cautious tone. It wasn't surprising, since Zuko still kept his hood up.

"Yeah, I'm actually looking for someone, and I was wondering if you could help."

The owner didn't try to hide his suspicious glare. "Oh, really. Why do you think I could help?"

 _He probably thinks I'm connected with the guards._ Zuko tried to keep his voice as calm and reassuring as possible, "I'm a friend of Jiro and Satomi. I'm looking for their son, Katsu."

"Yeah, I know who Katsu is. He comes in here a couple times a month for different herbal remedies. Was in here yesterday, in fact."

Zuko felt a surge of hope. "Did anyone else come in with him?"

The owner shook his head. "No, he came by himself, like he always does."

"Well, did he act any different when he was in here? "

The man snorted. "Nowadays, everyone's acting 'different', what with guards breathing down everyone's necks. Look, I don't ask questions, I just sell people want they need. In fact, the shorter your memory is around here, the better off you are."

Zuko realized he wasn't going to get anything else out of the man-at least, not without resorting to drastic measures-so he grudgingly headed back out into the street. He turned towards Katara, to let her know what had happened, when a boy's voice called out from behind him.

"You know, you're never going to find out anything that way."

Both of them turned abruptly, to find a scrawny boy approach them from the alleyway next to the shop. His black hair was shaggy and unkempt, and his clothes were torn and dirty. Despite his ragged appearance, the boy, who couldn't have been older than eight or nine years old, seemed very confident of himself and self-assured. There was intelligence in his gray eyes, and when he looked at Zuko he appeared to be noting and remembering every detail he took in.

"And why do you think we're trying to find out anything?" Zuko asked the boy, a little perturbed.

The boy gave them a cocky grin. "Well, when somebody goes to at least a dozen of the same type of shops, and asks the same type of questions at every place, that usually means they're looking for something."

"You've been following us?" Katara said, a little alarmed.

"Yeah, it wasn't hard either, _Lee_ and _Katara_. You two about as inconspicuous as a pair of komodo rhinos in a pig sheep farm."

They both gaped at the boy, both momentarily speechless, until Zuko finally spluttered, "Who are you? And why are you following us?"

The boy had a mischievous glint in his eyes. "The name's Liem. And I go where my services are needed. You two obviously need help, so I'm here to help you. For a price."

Zuko shook his head in dismay. Usually he wouldn't have taken a kid this young this seriously, but there was something different about this boy. He seemed to possess an intelligence and maturity far beyond his age, qualities that probably came from surviving on the streets.

Katara merely rolled her eyes. "Dear spirits, are all Fire Nation boys so arrogant and cocky?" Zuko frowned at her question, but before he had the chance to speak, she put her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look. "Don't even try to answer that." She then turned to the boy, "Okay, Liem. So you know that we're looking for someone named Katsu. What can you tell us?"

The boy was instantly all business. "Well, that depends on how much you want to pay me."

Zuko gritted his teeth, his patience starting to wear out. "Look, if you know something, just tell us."

Liem shook his head. "Nope, doesn't work like that. I make it my job to know things that happen in the city. If you want the information, you have to pay me first."

"This is ridiculous," Zuko muttered. He turned to walk off, but Katara quickly grabbed his arm.

"Zuko, wait!" She stepped closer to him and continued on in something close to whisper. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I think we should give this a try. I mean, we've been asking around for the last couple hours and haven't found out anything by ourselves."

He could see her point, but part of him was too stubborn to admit it. "But we didn't bring any money us, anyways. How are we going to convince him to help us?"

This time it was Katara who had a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Just leave that to me."

Zuko gave her a quizzical look as she grinned and then turned towards the boy. She gave Liem a dazzling smile and then sauntered over to the boy.

"We've decided to hire you for your services," Katara practically purred at the boy, "If you give us the information we need and it proves to be useful, we'll give you five gold pieces."

Liem's eyes widened slightly in shock at the amount she named, but the boy quickly recovered himself. "No offense, but the money part comes now, not later."

Katara battered her lashes at the boy, her voice compassionate. "Look, we really need your help to find our friend, we're really worried about him. We don't have any money with us now, but we'll be able to pay you after we find our friend. Trust me, we won't let you down."

Then, much to Zuko's and Liem's surprise, Katara bent down and gave the boy a quick kiss on the cheek. The boy gaped at her while almost instantly turning a deep shade of red. If Zuko hadn't been so irritated at the whole thing, he would have laughed at the boy's swift transformation.

"So you'll help us, right?" Katara asked Liem sweetly.

Still looking a little dazed, Liem nodded, "Yeah… sure."

Once he had regained his composure, Liem began to relate what he knew. "I saw the boy you're looking for, this Katsu, yesterday afternoon, being lead through one of the main streets by some of the city guards. It caught my attention because he was actually part of a large group that they took in to the prison."

"To the same one that Azula is in?" Katara asked the boy, but it was Zuko that answered.

"No, that's a top security prison that only holds high priority criminals," Zuko explained. "All others would go to the smaller prison located along the southern wall of the crater."

"Lee's right. The city guards have always run a tight shift around here, but over the last several days, they've been going to the extreme, taking dozens and dozens of people in to the southern prison. It's getting to where you can hardly go on the streets without the fear of being hauled off."

"Yet _you_ seem to have managed to get around quite easily," Zuko stated dryly.

Liem smirked. "Yeah, most people don't pay attention to kids, especially ones that live on the streets. Besides, I've picked up a lot of useful skills, and being unnoticeable is one of them." He then turned more serious. "I also happen to be pretty familiar with the prison your friend is at. For a reasonable fee, I can help him get out."

Zuko stared at the boy is disbelief. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"I know some people who work on the inside, including one of the guards," Liem puffed up with pride. "I've actually already helped get a couple people out already."

Katara looked at him questioningly. "Why would one of the guards help you out? Wouldn't they get in trouble?"

"One of the guards in the prison owes me a favor," Liem answered with a sly grin, "and he's been there long enough so he doesn't get questioned. He's helped me out before, and he'll help me again. So do you want my help, or not?"

"Hold on a moment, Liem, I need to talk with Lee," Katara told him. She pulled Zuko a little off to the side, and kept her voice low. "Zuko, since we know for sure now that Katsu is being held at the prison, couldn't you just order the prison to release him?"

Zuko shook his head. "I haven't gone through the coronation ceremony, so I'm not officially the Fire Lord yet. Right now, I'm still considered a banished prince and a traitor. If even I explained my situation to the warden, there's no way to know if he would recognize my authority or try to lock me up himself."

"So what should we do?"

Zuko took a moment to think it over. Part of him said it was reckless, and he should just go back to the palace and deal with it in a few days when he had the full power and authority as Fire Lord. But then he thought about Satomi and Jiro, and how their son was, at this very moment, locked up in a dirty prison cell for no good reason while he was living comfortably in the palace. _How could I look them in the face and tell them their son would have to wait? I said I was going to make this right, and I need to keep my promise. There's something not right about this whole situation, and I need to get to the bottom of it._

"We're going to take Liem up on his offer," he told Katara. He saw in her eyes that he had made the right decision. He approached the younger boy, "We need to get in that prison now and get our friend out. You think you can handle that?"

Liem snorted, "Ha! I can run circles around that prison. If you have the gold, I'm your man."

"Good, then you're hired. And you better be as good as you say you are."

A huge grin appeared on Liem's face, "Don't worry, I have a plan. We'll go to the prison, pull your buddy out, and then, bam, we'll be home free."

 _Where have I heard that before?_ Zuko thought wryly. He couldn't help but think about the last time he participated in a prison break. _Things are never that easy._

* * *

A couple hours later, Zuko and Katara found themselves crouched on the backside of a little-used shop that was literally just a few feet away from the prison's outer walls. Zuko had never been to this particular prison, and he immediately noticed how very different this small prison was from the prison tower that had held his uncle. This complex consisted of several squat buildings, and a narrow outer wall that only stood a few feet higher than the buildings around it. The wall was also surrounded by shops and houses that came right up to its edge, in a desperate attempt to squeeze as many buildings into the limited space of the crater as possible.

Liem had told them there was a smaller, less used access way towards the back of the wall, where the structure met the wall of the volcano's crater. He had told them that he needed to go first and make the arrangements, so without making a sound, the boy had crept away from them and headed towards the prison. It had been a while, however, since Liem had left them. Zuko was beginning to wonder if something had happened to kid.

Suddenly, a loud thud suddenly came from behind where Zuko and Katara waited. They both jumped, startled, while Katara gave a small yelp. They quickly turned towards the noise, only to find a large sack now lying on the ground.

"What the…?" Zuko asked, but soon a small figure slipped noiselessly down from the roof onto the ground in front of them. It was none other than Liem, grinning from ear to ear like a well-pleased cat-owl. _I have to hand it to the kid, he is pretty good…. Maybe this thing does have a chance._

Katara was scowling at the boy. "You could have given us a little heads up before scaring us half to death!"

"Now where would be the fun in that?" Liem replied unabashedly, and then he proceeded to dump the contents of the bag on the ground in front of them. There seemed to be a uniform of sorts and bits of rope in the pile that appeared.

Zuko sighed. "Let me guess… you brought a guard's uniform back and so now I'm supposed to pose as a guard and you two are supposed to be my prisoners."

Liem rolled his eyes, "Who else? Sweet cheeks and I only come up to the other guards' chests. It has to be you."

"-what did you call me?" Katara protested, giving the boy a hard look.

 _Agni preserve us,_ Zuko mentally groaned, and then muttered, "This is going to be the Boiling Rock all over again. How do I keep getting myself in these situations?"

"Oh, don't get your robes all in a wad," Liem said, and before either Zuko or Katara could comment, he continued, "Do you think I would send you in as the only guard and let you get us lost? We'll have a _real_ guard with us, one that's going to be doing all the talking and maneuvering. Got it?"

"Fine with me," Zuko said irritably, fighting the urge at that moment to grab the boy by the scruff of the neck. Instead, he started to remove his robe and hurriedly put the guard uniform on over his tunic. He saw Liem staring at his face, since this was the first time the boy had gotten a good look, and for a second his expression almost looked suspicious. But when Zuko looked towards him, Liem's face showed nothing. Zuko began to wonder if he was just imagining things.

Once Zuko had his uniform and helmet on, and both Liem and Katara had the ropes loosely tied around their wrists, Liem directed them to the lesser known entrance that he frequently used. When they approached the large door, Liem rapped his knuckles on the door in a specific pattern, and then leaned back. Soon enough it opened, revealing a man in a guard uniform that was a head taller than Zuko and nearly twice as wide.

"You found him, Masato?" Liem quietly asked the large guard.

The man nodded and then frowned when he took in Zuko's appearance, "Kinda short and scrawny for a guard."

Zuko practically growled, "Don't look at me, it was the kid's brilliant idea."

Liem flashed them a cocky grin. "It'll be fine. And don't listen to Masato. He's actually a big softie once you get to know him. I tried to offer him fifty-fifty split on these jobs, but he just refuses. Starts spouting something about debts and honor and whatnot."

Masato just rolled his eyes, seeming to take it all in good humor. "Let's get going." He led them to one of the nearby buildings, which appeared to be one of the outer wings of the prison facility. They approached a door that was locked, so Masato quickly pulled a small set of keys from his pouch and opened it. He signaled for them to wait, and then stepped through the doorway, checking the surrounding area for people. Once he seemed satisfied that the coast was clear, he waved the three of them in after him. After Masato instructed Katara and Liem how to walk in front of them and reminded them to let him do the talking, they set off.

As they walked through the different hallways of the prison, Zuko studied his surroundings as discreetly as possible. Prisons like the Boiling Rock and the Prison Tower had been built with numerous small cells to hold individuals or very small groups of people. This prison, however, was built to house a much larger population that didn't need to be separated. It contained large, open cells that were grated and held dozens of people in each. But even though the cells were large, they still didn't seem big enough for the all the prisoners that were being put in it. In every cell they passed, people sat or stood practically shoulder to shoulder, with little to no room to even lie down. Zuko couldn't believe the appalling conditions of the prison, and he couldn't help but quietly ask Masato if it had always been like this.

The big man shook his head. "No, it wasn't. It's only been within the last couple of weeks when the royal palace gave the orders to start cracking down on the city, that it became so packed."

Zuko started to ask Masato another question, but he stopped himself and straightened up as a pair of guards came into view. Both Katara and Liem made sure to keep their heads down and shoulders slumped, trying to attract as little attention as possible. Their act must have worked, because the two guards barely gave their group a glance and never slowed as they walked right past them. Zuko let out a breath that he didn't even realize he had been holding. _So far, so good._ They had almost reached the end of the corridor when Katara suddenly stopped in her tracks, making Zuko almost run into her.

"What are you doing?" Liem hissed, frantically looking around to see if there were any other guards.

"Just wait!" Katara whispered, looking over at the last cell in the row, which was much smaller than the rest they had passed by. As she hurried over the cell, Zuko finally saw what had made her stop. There, all alone and sitting huddled in the corner with her head on her knees, was a small girl who looked to be around four or five years old.

As Katara approached the girl, Zuko turned on Masato, his voice low but tinged with anger, "You have children in here!"  
Though Zuko couldn't see his face under the helmet, he heard the genuine confusion in Masato's voice, "No… we don't. I've never seen her before. She must have just arrived here now by accident."

Katara had removed her wrist bindings and was talking to the girl and stroking her hair through the grating. She then turned to Masato, "We have to get her out."

"What!" Liem yelped, looking alarmed. "Look, I don't want to leave her in there either, but we're kinda in the middle of a prison break. We can't just lug the kid around with us."

Katara's eyes hardened in resolve and her voice gave no room for argument. "I'm not leaving a little girl alone in a prison cell. We're taking her with us. _Now_."

Liem swallowed hard at the look on her face and finally gave in, muttering something about "stubborn women" and "underpaid".

Zuko quickly told Masato to open the cell, and in no time at all, Katara had scooped up the little girl in her arms. The girl tightly wrapped her arms around Katara's neck and she put her mouth up to Katara's ear as she began to whisper something to her. When the girl was finished, Katara hurried back to group and quietly told them what she had said.

"Her name is Hina and she says her father is here too."

Liem opened his mouth to retort, but at that moment another pair of guards came around the corner towards them, so they quickly formed up and continued their walk down the corridor. This time the guards did look at them, paying special attention to Katara and Hina, but when they looked up to see Masato's steely gaze through the helmet, they promptly looked away and kept walking. This happened a few more times as they silently made their way through the building, but, thanks to Masato, they made it without further incident.

"Here he is," he quietly told the group as they stopped in front of another large cell that was full of people. There was another guard in front of the next cell over, and he gave their group a strange look.

"What d'ya got there Masato?"

Masato's voice remained calm and sure as he gestured towards Zuko. "Got stuck with showing the newbie the grand tour. Figured if he's going to be glued to my side, he might as well help with a transfer."

Thankfully, the other guard seemed to buy the story, and even chuckled. "Good ol' Masato. Never lets a good person go to waste."

Masato then brought out his set of keys and unlocked the door. After he slid it open he barked at the people inside, "Katsu. Transfer. Now!"

Soon a dark-haired man that looked a few years older than Zuko stood up and made his way to the door. He appeared confused, but thankfully he didn't question what was going on. After Masato closed the cell back up, he nodded to the other guard as he led their group down the nearby hallway.

Zuko saw how tense and uneasy Katsu was, so he leaned in closer to him as they walked and told him, "Just relax. We know your parents, Jiro and Satomi, and we're here to get you out."

"We're going to break out of the prison?" he sounded incredulous.

"That's the plan," Liem retorted, then with a sharp look towards Katara, he continued, "That is, unless we keep picking up strays, and instead get _all_ of us landed in a cell."

Katara gave him a pointed look but kept silent, and the others did the same. Masato guided them through the corridors and eventually to the door that lead them outside the building without further incident. They walked alongside the outskirts of the building, leading closer to the outer wall, until Masato told them to stop. He then crept to the corner of the building and carefully peeked around it edge for a few moments, and then quietly made his way back to them.

"Something's going on," Masato told them grimly. "They've just increased the number of guards along the outer wall and spread them out. Our original exit route is now blocked, and I don't think I'll be able to talk our way out of here."

"Do you think they're onto us?" Katara asked worriedly.

"No, there's been no alarm," Masato began, but then a gong began to sound from somewhere within the facility.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Zuko commented grimly.

"Not necessarily, but it still presents us with a problem," Masato told them. "That's the signal that the warden is walking the facility for inspection. That would explain the increase of guards along the wall."

"So what do we do now?" Zuko asked him, but it was Liem who answered, "There's only one way out now, and that's through the front gate."

Katsu then piped up, "But won't there be more guards there?"

The boy scowled at him. "No more than anywhere else right now. And at least there will be prisoners going back and forth in that area."

"We'll have a chance if we can tag along with another group going out," Masato added.

"So that's the plan? Hope we can slip out with the others?" Zuko stated, unable to keep the pessimism out of his voice.

Liem gave him that irascible smile that seemed permanently glued to his face. "Plan, shman. We'll just play it by ear. Makes things more interesting, anyways."

Zuko grimaced. _Why do I have the feeling I'm going to end up in a prison cell again when this is all over? Uncle was right, I really need to start thinking these things out first._

Their group kept to the narrow alleys between the various building as they slowly began to weave their way to the front. When another group of guards approached, both Masato and Zuko stood at attention until they passed, and then they quickly filed in behind them. They had only gone a short ways when the pathway opened up into a large courtyard that covered the area between the front gate and the nearest building.

True to Masato's and Liem's word, there were a lot of guards in the courtyard, especially right around the gate opening. There was also several large groups of prisoners that were being escorted to and from the gate. As they joined the large stream that was winding its way to the large gate, Zuko could feel the beads of sweat beginning to form and trickle down his brow. _Is it just my imagination, or are the guards starting to give us strange looks?_

Near the front gate, the large stream of people funneled into a smaller path that was lined on both sides with guards. While some of the guards passively stood by and watched the prisoners pass them by, others were all too eager in enforcing their discipline on an unlucky prisoner nearby.

When a man in front of them turned to look at the guards lined up right beside him, a short and rotund guard near him cursed and then reached out and roughly shoved him forward, causing the man to fall down. Immediately, Katara set Hina down and went with Katsu to help the man up, and when the three of them stood up, the guard closed in on them.

"What the hell do you think you vermin are doing?"

Zuko's ire rose at the guard's words, and he saw Katara's face redden in anger. She glared at the guard and spoke, her voice quivering with anger.

"How dare you-?"

"Easy now!" Masato interrupted her, coming up closer to the guard, "I'm sure it was nothing. These prisoners are just on their way out."

Masato then turned to Katara and Katsu, and, keeping to his role, raised his voice, "Now get a move on!"

Zuko quickly came to Katara's side and grabbed her by the arm, pretending to escort her, when the large guard stepped closer and grabbed her other arm.

The guard's voice became dark and lecherous, "I think I'll keep this one for a little bit longer… just to teach her a little lesson in humility."

Without thinking, Zuko put himself between Katara and the guard and grabbed the hand that held her. As soon as he touched the man's skin, he used his firebending to send a quick flash of heat from his hand to the guard's wrist, making him release her. At that moment, he didn't particularly care that he wasn't acting like a guard, and he made sure that the man heard the threat in his voice. "Don't touch her again."

The guard's eyes were still wide with shock as he cursed and clutched his hand to his chest. Masato decided it was a good time to get them out of there. "Come on!" Masato growled at Zuko and Katara. He began pulling them away from the agitated guard, trying to put some distance between them. The move seemed to jolt the guard into action.

"You idiot!" He yelled at Zuko. "You'll pay for that!" The man suddenly stepped forward and threw out his other hand, creating a ball of fire that headed straight for Zuko and Katara. Chaos broke out around them as people screamed and frantically tried to get away.

Zuko quickly pulled away from Masato and put himself between the fireball and his companions. Just as he took his stance, the fireball was upon him. He could feel the heat from the attack, but with a simple, flowing movement he effortlessly dispelled it. This, however, didn't go unnoticed by the other guards. Several of them began to form a circle around Zuko and his group, who had taken up their own defensive positions. The guards around them readied themselves either by pulling out their swords or standing in a firebending pose, but none advanced.

"Great job, Lee," Liem whispered at him, while never looking away from their opponents, "So what's the plan now?"

"I hadn't thought that part out yet," Zuko muttered, mentally kicking himself for getting them into this situation. _How are we going to get out of this one?_

Suddenly, some of the guards in front of Zuko began parting off the side, and soon a middle-aged man wearing an elaborate uniform emerged from the crowd, followed closely by retinue of elite guards and personnel. The man had an angular face covered in hard lines and a grim expression that seemed a permanent fixture. _Ah, this must be the warden_ , Zuko thought as the man's hard gaze took in their little group and then focused on the guards circling them.

"Someone better explain to me exactly what's going on in my prison, _right now_. And it better be a good."

The heavy-set guard that started it all stepped forward uneasily, and pointed to Zuko, "Warden Takashi, that man attacked me as he was trying to leave. He must be an imposter!"

Masato spoke up behind Zuko. "He's a new recruit, sir, and was he was merely defending himself-."

"Quiet," Takashi commanded him. When Masato fell silent, the warden turned to Zuko, his eyes narrowing. "Does this so-called 'recruit' have a name?"

Zuko didn't answer right away, for he was still reluctant to reveal himself. He began to realize, however, that escape was no longer an option-not only because of the fact that they were outnumbered, but also because he couldn't afford to run away and let things stay the same here. He needed this man's loyalty and cooperation to fix this situation.

"I asked what your name was, _boy_ ," the warden sneered at him, "And I expect an answer."

Zuko slowly reached up and took his helmet off, and he heard gasps of recognition around him. He then drew himself up to his full height, and in a firm and regal tone, addressed the warden. "I am Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, son of Ozai and Ursa, and heir to the throne."

Upon his announcement, he noticed several of the guards drop their attack stances and begin to kneel. But when they noticed that the warden hadn't moved a single muscle, they quickly stood back up. Not only had Takashi not shown any deference to him, but his frown had gotten even deeper. _Great, this is not looking good._

"So the traitorous Prince has defied his banishment and come back to the capital." Takashi's words were dripping with disdain. "And what interest would you have in my prison?"

It was Katara that replied first. "We had heard that you were snatching innocent people off the street, even children-and it's true!"

Takaski's lips curled up in the resemblance of a smile, but with his bared teeth it looked more like a snarl. "I do whatever I am commanded to. That includes handing over traitors. The Phoenix King will be sure to reward me handsomely when I hand over his disgraced son."

He felt both Liem and Katara tense next to him, but Zuko kept his calm. "My father has no right to that title, and since he has given up his right as the ruler of this nation, his word is no longer law. The Avatar himself confronted my father and his fleet and put a stop to his tyrannical reign." _Please, Agni, let it be so._

Takashi scoffed at him. "And I'm supposed to believe the words of a dishonored prince? And am I supposed to believe that Fire Lord Azula just welcomed you back with open arms?"

"The coronation ceremony for my sister was never completed. She has since been deemed unfit to rule and taken to the prison tower." Zuko felt a small pang of regret at what happened to his sister, but he pushed it out of his mind. "I _will_ be the next Fire Lord," he firmly stated as he looked straight into Takashi's gold eyes, willing the man to listen to reason, "And I will need your cooperation, and your loyalty."

The warden uttered a short and humorless laugh. " _I_ owe _you_ my loyalty? What does a traitor know about loyalty?"

Katara looked as if she was about to protest, but Zuko lightly touched her arm, and she stopped. Zuko looked around at the guards around him, and saw that many of their weapons or hands were half-raised, as if they were uncertain of what to think about the situation. In a sudden moment of clarity, he realized that he needed these people. He needed them to believe in him. If he was truly going to rule his people, and bring balance back to his nation, he needed their trust and loyalty. And it was going to start here, with them.

Zuko took a few steps forward and looked at the people around him and addressed them, "Yes, I was banished and branded a traitor. And for three years, I wandered the world, from the Southern and Northern water tribes, from one side of the Earth Kingdom to the other, trying to prove to myself and my father that I was worthy of one day becoming the Fire Lord."

Some of the guards looked away and fidgeted as he swept his gaze across them, "But now I realize that my father was wrong. I've seen the ugly side of war, and what it has done on both sides to regular people. I've seen villages destroyed, families torn apart, and innocent people die. We, as a nation, have been dishonorable in our actions and have strayed far from our original heritage." He then fixed his gaze back on Takashi. "I came back because I am loyal to my nation, and I want to help steer it back on the right path. And I need your help to do it."

Takashi, however, wasn't moved. "Very touching, but it doesn't change the facts."

The warden turned to one of the higher ranked guards beside him-most likely a lieutenant-and gave the order, "Take him and his friends and lock them in one of the secured cells."

The lieutenant, an older man that had a large cut that scarred his right cheek to his jaw, didn't move or issue any orders. He instead looked at Zuko with respect and gave a slight nod, and then turned to the warden.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't obey that order."

Takashi's eyes widened and his face instantly flushed red in anger, but the lieutenant ignored him and turned to address the rest of the guards, "Stand down! No one is to harm the Crown Prince or his companions."

Zuko's shock at the man's actions turned into relief as the guards complied. Takashi, who looked so angry and red he appeared about to burst, finally spoke, yelling at those around him. "I will deal with your insubordination later! When I give an order, it _will_ be followed!" He then turned to the guard next to him that had grabbed Katara earlier. "Gaku, seize them."

With something close to a snarl, Gaku raised his arms and started flowing into a firebending stance. Immediately several of the guards moved to intercept him, but Zuko had already anticipated the move. He realized now that the only way he could get through to men like Takashi and Gaku was a show of power, and he had just the way to do it. Just as Gaku was starting his forms, he yelled at his companions, "Everyone stay behind me! Katara, shield me for a moment!"

As Katara drew the water from her pouch to form an ice shield, Zuko reached out through the calm center of himself to the source of his firebending. But instead of tapping into the fiery inferno, he felt the positive and negative swirls of energy in his element and then divided them. In that split second, with the imbalanced energies roaring through him, Zuko felt the stillness within himself, and he knew exactly what to do.

Carefully guiding the two energies back together, he swept his fingertips up in a graceful arc. Just as Gaku's fire attack slammed into Katara's ice shield, Zuko felt the electric energy surge in him. He continued his form, and suddenly the lightning crackled to life, pulsing up and down his arms. The remnants of Katara's ice shield fell to the ground, and every nearby person froze when they saw the lightning begin to sizzle around him. He felt the lightning building in power as he made one last sweep of his arms. When he locked his gaze onto Takashi and Gaku standing several yards away from him, their eyes widened in terror.

Right as the lightning was building into a fever pitch inside of him, he pointed his left arm out in front of him, and his right arm up at the sky. The cold river of fire than ran through Zuko demanded an outlet, and so he released it. The lightning roared and soared down both his arms. The bulk of it he directed through his right arm, which raced up in a blur towards the blue sky. The small stream that he wielded through his left hand streaked ahead of him, and when it hit the ground a few feet in front of Takashi and Gaku, it exploded.

Chunks of earth flew in every direction, and the concussion threw both men backwards. Several other guards who were nearby were also knocked down, but, thankfully, Zuko saw them get back up, shaken, but unhurt. The last bits of the lightning around him sputtered out and died as he slowly advanced to where Takashi and Gaku lay.

He went over to Gaku first and helped the man to sit up. When the guard realized that is was Zuko that was helping him, he panicked.

"Please, don't hurt me! I'll do whatever you want!"

Zuko tried to reassure him. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just needed to get a point across-mainly, that you need treat your prisoners better. Do you think you can handle that?"

The other man slowly nodded, so Zuko then went over to Takashi. The warden groggily opened his eyes when Zuko reached him. When he leaned down and offered Takashi a hand up, the man simply stared at him, confused.

"You… You could have killed me. Why didn't you do it?"

"Because I believe that killing isn't the answer. If we're going to rebuild this nation, we need to learn how to work together. The truth is that we're both going to need each other's help in the coming days."

Takashi stared at Zuko's outstretched hand once more before grasping it and letting himself be helped up. Once he had straightened out, he looked at Zuko with eyes full of gratitude.

" Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life. You showed me mercy, though I didn't deserve it. I hope in time that I can repay my debt to you."

With that said, Takashi slowly and deliberately sank down to one knee, and bowed his head at Zuko. "As Agni as my witness, I swear my loyalty to you, Crown Prince Zuko. I am your man, through and through."

Sounds of shuffling suddenly filled the air around Zuko, and when he looked around, he saw that all the guards were now also kneeling. Heads bowed, they imitated the warden, each one uttering an oath of loyalty.

It was an amazing sight for Zuko, and one that filled him with hope. _I may be Ozai's son, but I am nothing like him. I_ will _be the next Fire Lord, and I_ will _lead my nation back to the right path._

* * *

Katara stood closely by Zuko's side in the prison courtyard, watching as he conferred with the warden and several of his officers. The uncertainty and doubt that had seemed to plague Zuko recently had now been replaced with a firm conviction that permeated his words and actions. She was proud of Zuko, and slightly in awe at how he had transformed from a troubled teenager just this morning, to a young Prince who now confidently talked with the men around him and issued orders.

The prison was now bustling with activity as people hurried to carry out the numerous orders that had been recently given. One of the first priorities had been to release the prisoners that had been wrongly imprisoned in the recent string of arrests. Zuko also had sent several of the prison guards to the various guard posts around the city, to immediately halt the mass arrests that had been taken place around the city. They had sent several messenger hawks to the various other prisons within the fire nation, to begin releasing the prisoners of war that each facility held. A group of guards had also been sent to the prison tower in the capital, to ensure that the Crown Princes' orders were followed to the letter.

Zuko and Takashi were still working out some details, and finally some frustration entered the Prince's voice. "Takashi, I can't take any of your guards to the palace. I've already sent too many of your men out on errands, and I don't want to leave you spread too thin."

"Your Highness, in this matter I must insist. Your safety is of the upmost importance, and you need to have some guards in the palace." Takashi then turned around and yelled for Masato, and within a few seconds the large man appeared before them.

"I need a group of volunteers to provide security in the palace itself," Takashi told Masato, and then he continued in a wry tone, "Since you're already on familiar terms with the Crown Prince, I figured I'd offer you the chance to lead the unit."

Masato broke out in a big smile. "It would be my pleasure, sir. I think I can handle His Highness."

Katara couldn't help but giggle at the big man's words, and even Zuko had to struggle to keep his face straight.

"I guess I see your point," Zuko admitted, and then he addressed Masato, "Alright, go ahead and pick out some men. But keep it _small_."

"Yes, sir," Masato answered before he quickly left to find his other volunteers. Takashi and the other officers soon left them as well, needing to leave to conduct their business in the other parts of the prison.

It was the first time that Zuko and Katara had been by themselves since the start of their ordeal. While there was a strong urge for her to rush into his arms and kiss him, she was also conscious of the fact that they were in the middle of a crowded courtyard, so she instead grabbed his hand. Zuko turned to look at her, his beautiful gold eyes filled with warmth, and gave her hand a tight squeeze.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked her. He was still being very protective of her, but right now Katara didn't really mind.

She smiled. "I am, thanks to you. You know, at this rate I'm going to have to name you my official bodyguard."

"I think I could live with that," he answered as a playful twinkle entered his eyes, but there was something else there underneath it, a hint of desire that sent a shiver through her, "as long as you're right beside me."

Katara couldn't help but blush at the meaning of his words. Her heart leaped at the thought of her staying with Zuko indefinitely, but there was a part of her that whispered of other paths and responsibilities. It was something her mind didn't want to dwell on.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "So, when did you learn to create lightning?"

He was silent for moment, his expression thoughtful. "My uncle had taught me the technique a few months back, but I was never able to actually generate it. There was too much anger and aggression inside of me, and I tried too hard to control it. Once I found my inner peace, and guided rather than forced the opposing energies of the lightning, I was able to create it."

"That sounds a lot like waterbending," Katara replied, amazed at his explanation.

Any further conversation was interrupted, however, when she heard someone call her name. She turned to find Katsu approaching her and Zuko, with Liem and another man she had never seen before holding Hina.

The little girl was struggling with the man to get down, and as soon as her feet touched the ground she ran over to Katara and threw her arms around Katara's legs.

"Katara!" Hina pointed excitedly to the man who had carried, "Daddy found me!"

"That's great, Hina," she told the little girl, relieved at their happy reunion.

Hina then took her arms from Katara's legs and then fumbled with something around her neck. She finally pulled a necklace off and smiled as she showed it to Katara.

It had looked big on the little girl, but it was a regular size piece of leather cord that had a small pendant on the end. When Katara looked closer, it was a little bronze stone carving of a sun.

"I want you to have it," Hina told her shyly.

Katara could tell by the way the girl looked at the necklace that it meant a lot to her, and so she asked, "Are you sure, Hina?"

Hina nodded, so Katara carefully took the necklace and put it on, overwhelmed at the girl's kindness.

The little girl then looked at Zuko. "Um, Prince Zuko, can I give you a hug?"

A big grin lit up Zuko's face. "You sure can."

Hina smiled as she ran over and then attached herself to Zuko's legs, giving them a fierce squeeze. Zuko gently stroked her hair, and when Hina was finished, she skipped back over to her father.

The father then stepped towards them hesitantly and respectfully bowed to Zuko. "My name is Maru, Your Highness, and I cannot thank you or Lady Katara enough for saving me and my little girl." He then began to fidget nervously, "I'm afraid I don't have much to repay you, Your Highness-"

"There's no need to," Zuko stopped him, "I'm just glad we could help."

"Speaking of help," Liem chimed in, "You promised me gold, and I still intend on collecting. In fact, seeing as how I was helping out royalty, I think I should get paid triple the agreed upon amount."

Katara stifled a laugh as both Katsu and Maru gave the boy a sharp look.

"Liem!" Katsu scolded the boy, "You can't talk to the Crown Prince like that!"

Zuko tried to scowl at the boy, but the slight twitching at the corners of his mouth betrayed his true feelings. "You know, I could have you thrown into prison for extortion and endangering a member of the royal family."

Liem just smirked. "No, you wouldn't. You're too soft and mushie, like Masato. Besides, I think your girlfriend likes me too much to let that happen."

Zuko gaped at the young boy and spluttered, "Katara isn't my-well, she and I…" He tried desperately to recover himself. "I mean, she doesn't like you, like you...I mean…"

The look on Zuko's face was priceless, and this time Katara did laugh.

"I think what 'His Highness' is trying to say," Katara continued once she had caught her breath, "Is that we do both like you, as a friend, and yes, we will reward you for your help, as promised."

As their little group continued to talk and tease one another, Katara thought about the little exchange that had just taken place. She was pleased to note that Zuko hadn't contradicted the claim that she was his girlfriend. That told her that he also acknowledged that there was something more than friendship between the two of them. Her mood began to sober, however, as she thought about the uncertain future ahead of them. _Is that what we are now, boyfriend and girlfriend? We both have strong feelings for each other, but can we even have an official relationship? I mean, Zuko is going to be the new Fire Lord, so where does that leave me?_

 _And Aang… I don't even know what's happened to him or if he's even alright. And what will it do to Aang, if he comes back here and finds out about me and Zuko's feelings for each other? I don't want to hurt him…_

As she and Zuko prepared to leave for the palace, Katara remained lost in her thoughts. _I don't know what to do. There's the path expected of me, and there's the path that my heart wants to take. What should I choose?_

But it was a question she didn't know the answer to, and it would be one that would continue to echo in her mind as she continued onward.

* * *

Author's Note:

One of the things that I wanted to focus on in my story is Zuko's continued growth as a character, and how he is forced to adapt and change as he becomes the Fire Lord. There is a tremendous amount of responsibility thrust on him. He is basically handed the reigns of a country that has now lost a 100 year war that they started; they have lost battles and ships, have had multiple leadership changes (some of who were more unstable than others), and now the leadership will pass to Zuko, who has been considered a traitor to the country for the last few years. For Zuko to become Fire Lord, realistically he will have a lot of problems and issues to deal with in order to become an effective leader and get his country back to working order again. I wanted to weave some of this into my store, without bogging it down and getting too much into the daily matters of bureaucracy. Zuko has always been one of my favorite characters, and I think watching him morph into his new position of the Fire Lord pretty fascinating. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	5. Caught Up in the Moment

Katara walked swiftly through one of the long hallways in the large guest wing section of the palace. The Fire Nation palace was so enormous that it had entire sections dedicated to different uses. The whole western side of the palace was dedicated just to guest rooms, to host various officials and diplomats that came to visit and stay at the capital. The sheer number of rooms that ran through the vast maze on this end was mind-boggling to Katara. Her entire Southern Water Tribe village could have slept in the guest wing, and still have rooms to spare afterwards. Zuko had told her she could pick any room in the guest wing for her own, but she had politely declined the offer. After spending endless weeks of having her friends all within earshot wherever she slept, the idea of sleeping alone in closed off room seemed strange and completely uninviting. The fact that she could be in the guest wing and scream bloody murder and no one in the other sections would be able to hear her was more than a little unsettling. She had chosen instead to continue to sleep in Zuko's room. Zuko had no desire to be alone either-especially considering all their recent 'adventures'- so they took turns with one of them either sleeping on his bed or a large lounge they had moved in the adjacent room. Their arrangement had been a little awkward at first, but soon it became a comfortable habit that they fell into.

She stopped at the one many hallway intersections, and had to think for a moment on which way she needed to go. Once she was confident of her choice, she turned left and began walking again, her mind once again a whirlwind of thoughts. There had still been a little shyness between them, even after they had shared their first couple of kisses, but that soon vanished as they settled into their own little routine at the palace. With Jiro and his family being the only people living in the palace, there had been a lot to do over the last several days. Since their son Katsu and daughter Yuri were out in the city trying to recruit back all the previous palace staff, it had been up to Jiro, Satomi, Zuko, and herself to start to get the palace back in something of a working condition. The first thing that Katara had focused on was the kitchen. While the palace seemed to have enough dried meat and rice to feed all of Ba Sing Se for an entire month, she had to make several trips to the city marketplace for things like vegetables, fruits, and certain herbs. The first time she had suggested she had go alone on one of these trips, Zuko had argued against it...which promptly lead to a heated debate between them.

Katara could tell that both the fight with Azula and the incident at the prison had Zuko a little on edge still, and he seemed reluctant to leave her alone for very long. While a part of her was secretly pleased that he was being protective of her, there was such a thing as overdoing it. At one point, her temper got the better of her and she had to _firmly_ remind him that she _was_ a Master Waterbender, and completely capable of defending herself from all kinds of unstable villains and shady characters- which at one time, even included _himself_. That had made him instantly blush, but it had also gotten her point across. From that point onward, whenever she decided to head to the marketplace by herself, he wisely chose to keep any protests to himself.

She finally reached the end of the last hallway and went through the door that led outside to the training area. Every morning around sunrise, Zuko would get up and quietly leave his quarters-trying not to disturb her-so he could come out here and practice. He would typically practice for a couple hours, so by the time she would wake up and grab a quick bite to eat, she would catch the end of his practice. Afterwards, they would usually spar-something that Katara found herself looking forward to again every morning. Their sparring sessions were mainly centered around their bending, but this morning he had promised something different.

After she got past the exterior walls of the palace itself, the view of the training grounds opened up in front of her and she spotted where Zuko was. He was in the middle of the largest clearing, shirtless and barefoot as usual as he went through his forms. She enjoyed watching him practice in the morning, and he gotten used to her joining him in the end. _It's just fascinating watching the firebending forms...it has nothing to do with the fact that he's shirtless…_ Katara quickly schooled her features when she realized she was blushing. She made sure she had her thoughts firmly in control when she approached closer to him.

It didn't take Zuko long to realize she was there. He turned towards her and gave her a warm smile. "Hey, there."

Katara instantly returned his smile. "Hey, yourself." She could have stared into the beautiful swirls of his gold and bronze eyes for a ridiculous amount of time, but before she got too distracted, she reminded him about his promise. "So, what is it that you wanted to show me today that I didn't even get a hint about?"

As he closed the distance between them, there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, if I would have know that the suspense was getting to you, I would have told you yesterday."

She became _very_ aware of just close his chiseled torso was to her. Was he purposely trying to turn her into a silly, blushing girl? She crossed her arms, making sure to keep her gaze focused solely on his face. "Oh, please! It's not that big of a deal. I figured you wanted to do something different, since I keep beating you all the time in our practices."

"What?" That wiped the smirk right off his face. "Having one more win than me doesn't mean you're 'beating me all the time'."

It was her turn now to smile mischievously at him. "If you say so."

He rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I was thinking we'd change it up a little. Instead of using our bending, I thought we would do some hand-to-hand training."

"Really?" His answer surprised her a little. "Why would you use hand-to-hand fighting if you have your bending? It won't nearly be as powerful, or effective."

"You're probably right, but it also never hurts to be more well-rounded and have multiple ways to deal with an opponent." He became a little more serious. "Plus, you never know when you might be in a situation where you can't use your bending."

"It sounds like you've been in a situation like that."

"I have. When Azula was pursuing both me and my uncle in the Earth Kingdom, we couldn't use our bending, or we would have given ourselves away. For months, the only way way I could defend myself was either using my swords, or my close quarters training."

The idea of not being able to use her bending was such a foreign concept to Katara now. She couldn't image her world without it. "Wow, I don't think I could have gone that long without using my waterbending. That's pretty incredible, Zuko." _There are still so many things I don't know about him. I guess we both still have a lot to discover about each other._

He shrugged. "I just did what I had to do. You may never be in a situation like that, but it's always better to be prepared. So, should we go ahead and start?"

"Sure, but I don't really know a lot of moves."

"That's okay," he reassured her with a small smile, "I can start by teaching you a few basic moves."

Katara was a little skeptical at first, but, true to his word, the first things he showed her were pretty straightforward. He started by showing off vulnerable points on the body to hit, and how to quickly block any punches or hits to the face or torso. Some of these Katara already knew about, but it was nice having someone to actually practice it with, who could guide and correct her as they went through the moves. She was finding it difficult at times to concentrate, however, especially when he got really close to her. Like he was doing now. He had the full length of himself pressed up against her from behind as he started talking her through what he was doing next.

"Now I'll show you how to break a hold when someone has you from this position." He then slowly reached his right arm around her and wrapped it around her neck in a loose choke hold. As with all the moves he practiced with her, he was gentle enough not to hurt her. He now had his mouth right next to her ear, and when he whispered, it sent a slight shiver through her. "There's a couple different ways you can break out of this one."

Katara realized that he was having some fun keeping her in a vulnerable position like this, so she decided it was time to change things up. "Yeah...let me show you one." Before he could respond, she leaned forward slightly, forcing him to copy the move as well and throw him off balance. She then leaned backward, as he followed the motion, she took her left leg and hooked it behind his, right behind his knee and pulled it forward. The move made his left leg crumple, but he refused to let his grip on her go as they both fell backwards. She heard him grunt as they hit the ground, with her still on top of him. Quickly but carefully, she pushed herself up and turned around so she could straddle him and put both her hands on his arms, restraining him. When his gaze focused on her again, she gave him a victorious smile. "Ha! I think I can safely say I won this one."

Her statement only seemed to make him more determined. When he caught his breath, his eyes narrowed. "You just knocked the air out of me. It's not over yet."

"Oh, just give-aahh!" She didn't get to finish her sentence as he suddenly twisted his arms to wrap them around her own, and roll them both sideways. Suddenly, he was on top of her, and before she could prevent the move, he used both his arms and legs to pin her down on all sides. With his full weight on top of her and having her pinned, he guaranteed that she couldn't move anywhere.

The smile he gave her maddeningly smug. "So...you were saying?"

His face was so close to her that strands of his black hair brushed her forehead. She began to forget all about her anger as she noted the feel of his warm body against hers. "You're not fighting fair…" She whispered, a little irritated that she was so breathless and flustered by him.

Zuko leaned even closer, his mouth now centimeters from hers. "Who said anything about being fair?" He didn't give her a chance to answer, however, as he crushed his lips to hers.

Katara completely forgot about everything else as she became consumed by his kiss. At some point, Zuko shifted, moving one of arms up so he could caress her face as they continued their embrace. Without thinking, Katara moved her now free hand up and ran it across his back, trying to pull him even more impossibly close to her. She deepened her kiss with him, which he returned with equal fervor.

She was so overwhelmed with the feel of him and their kiss, that she completely stopped paying attention to everything else. She was surprised then-as was Zuko-when they heard someone very loudly, and purposely, clear their throat nearby them.

Zuko immediately broke off their kiss and rolled off of her. They were both blushing furiously and panting heavily as they picked themselves up and stood, albeit shakily at first. They both brushed themselves off and tried to calm their breathing as they assessed their situation. Masato was standing a little ways off, and a little to the side so he wasn't facing them directly. She could see the hints of a smile around the large man's lips as he began talking to them.

"Sorry to interrupt, Prince Zuko...but I have some news for you that I didn't think could wait."

Zuko was still a little out of breath when he addressed the large man. "It's fine...we were just...I mean, it's…" His cheeks flushed red again, and he gave up his original line of thinking. "So, what's the news?"

Masato turned to face him directly. "First, Fire Sage Yuuto sends word that his preparations are now complete, so you can make your official coronation proclamation today when you're ready."

"That's good news," Zuko answered, now more in control of himself, "but it sounds like there's something else?"

"Yes, Your Highness. There is a group that just arrived here at the palace that said they needed to see you right away. They said they were friends of yours?"

"This group of people...are they about our age?"

"Yes, maybe even a little younger. One of them was shaved bald and wearing some kind of monk clothes-"

"That's Aang!" Katara excitedly interrupted, "That means Sokka and the others are back too!"

"Where are they?" Zuko asked him.

"They're in one of reception rooms just down the hallway."

 _Aang! I knew he would find his way back!_ Without waiting for Masato to continue, Katara took off at a run. All she could think about now was seeing Aang again and all her friends. Finally, she could be whole again.

* * *

Zuko felt a surge of hope when Masato gave them the news, and it was verified when Zuko saw all their friends gathered together in one of the large rooms inside the palace. Katara was the first to reach them, and a large commotion broke out when Aang and the others realized Katara and Zuko had joined them.

It was with great relief that the group of friends met again, and soon there were tears, hugs, and playful punches all around. Thankfully, their friends all seemed to be in good shape, except for Sokka, who was hobbling around on one leg, but otherwise seemed in good spirits. Zuko was still rubbing his shoulder from where Toph had punched him, in which the short earthbender had been a little _too_ eager in her greeting, when Aang approached him.

He seemed a little nervous as he stood in front of Zuko, almost as if he was afraid of Zuko's reaction, "Uh, Zuko, there's something I need to tell you…"

In an instant, Zuko's good mood vanished, for there could be only one thing that his friend meant, and that would be his father. Zuko swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, "My father… is he… dead?"

Before Aang answered his question, Zuko saw Suki escorting someone from one of the back corners up to where Zuko was standing. It took Zuko a moment to realize that it was Ozai, who had his hands bound together. He reeled in shock at seeing his father alive, and while there was a small part of him that was relieved at this realization, it was soon swallowed by his growing sense of dread.

He turned on Aang angrily, "What is he doing here? Don't you realize how dangerous he is? How could you-?"

"Just listen to me!" Aang demanded, uncharacteristically raising his voice, but then he continued in a quieter level, "I chose to spare his life, but I made sure he won't be a threat to anyone, anymore. I took away his bending."

Zuko was so stunned it took a moment to gather his voice again. "You did _what_?"

"I took away his bending, permanently. He won't ever be able to bend fire again."

Katara, who had been standing close to Aang, appeared to be shocked as well, and finally spoke, "Aang, how is that even possible?"

A goofy grin lit up Aang's face. "Well, when we were at Ember Island, I met a lion turtle the size of an island, and he taught me about bending energy in people. I used what he taught me to take away Ozai's firebending."

The kid acted like it was the most normal thing in the world, but Zuko was finding it hard to wrap his mind around the whole idea. He walked over to where Suki stood watching over his father, already noticing the changes in the former Fire Lord. Where Ozai had once stood tall and proud, radiating power and arrogance, there now was only a hunched-over man that looked lost and desolate. It was as if his defeat and stolen power had also sapped his father's will, and now only the shell of a man remained. _Firebending was everything to my father. It wasn't just a way to fight, it was his identity and evidence of his superiority. He can't imagine a life without it…_

Zuko couldn't help the uneasy feeling in his stomach at the thought of having his firebending taken away from him in such a manner. He knew now, from his time during his banishment, that he could live a life without his bending, but it was still an important part of him that helped to define him and give him strength. He felt a flash of pity for the man in front of him, but the feeling was short-lived as Zuko remembered his long list of crimes.

Ozai lifted his head up as he heard Zuko approach, and he regained some semblance of his former demeanor as a sneer appeared on his face.

"Surprised to see me alive? I could say the same regarding yourself… it's a shame Azula turned out to be as useless as you."

"So we're both useless, huh?" Zuko was trying to keep a hold on his temper, but he could still feel some of his anger start to seep into his voice. "You know, I spent the majority of my life trying to please you and make you proud of me, because I thought that way I could gain your love and respect. But now, I realize that Azula and I were both just tools to you, a means to further your own ambition and greed. All you ever cared about was power, and now you've ended up with nothing."

Ozai bared his teeth. "You're as ignorant as you are worthless. Do you think this war was solely based on greed? Sozin's comet wasn't the only reason why our nation has so easily conquered the rest of this pathetic world. The avatar and its pitiful coalition of nations were weak and ineffective, and the world needed a strong hand to give it order and strength. I was going to lead the world into a new era of power and prosperity."

"You're wrong, Ozai," Aang interrupted in a clear voice, "All you brought to the world was destruction and death. No one nation, or man, should have that much power. The four nations must remain separate and equal in order for the world to remain in balance. And as the Avatar, I will do whatever I can to help restore the peace and balance."

"And I will make sure that the Fire Nation does its part as well," Zuko added, his tone once again becoming calm yet commanding. "Since the Avatar has chosen to spare your life, Ozai, I will honor his wishes and allow you to live. You will, however, be kept in the same prison you unjustly had my uncle imprisoned in."

Zuko then turned and called to Masato and his guards, and while they were coming to join them, Ozai once again spoke up.

"You'll never be fit to rule this nation. No matter what they declare you as, you'll still be a weak and dishonored traitor in the eyes of the people and your ancestors. They'll turn against you, and then you'll be that little boy again, on his knees and begging for mercy."

It was only when Zuko felt Katara's hand on his arm that he realized how angry he had gotten and how close he was to lashing out. He immediately unclenched his fists and took a few calming breaths before he turned to address Masato, refusing to give his father the satisfaction of an answer.

"Masato, I need you and your men to escort Ozai to the prison tower. He needs to be assigned to highest security cell in the prison. Though he no longer is able to firebend, he is still to be considered dangerous. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Masato replied solemnly, and as his soldiers took over custody of his father, Ozai's shoulders once again slumped in defeat, and he remained silent as he was lead away from the group.

Katara then squeezed Zuko's arm, and told him softly, "Your father is wrong, Zuko. Masato and the others proved that."

"I know," Zuko replied, and as he turned to stare into her gentle eyes, everything else seemed to drop away. He felt that connection again, a way of comforting each other without needing to say the words. They held each other's gaze until Sokka's voice broke through.

"Who are these 'others'? What exactly has been going on here?"

"It's nothing," Katara hastily answered as she removed her hand from Zuko's arm. He frowned at her reaction, but didn't get a chance to answer before Toph asked her own question.

"And where exactly is Sparky's sister?"

Katara seemed reluctant to answer, so Zuko decided to give the short version. "We stopped the coronation ceremony before Azula could be named the next Fire Lord. She challenged me to an Agni Kai, so we fought, but it was actually Katara that captured and defeated her by herself."

"Way to go, Sugar Queen," Toph said with an approving smile, and Aang and Suki seemed impressed as well, but Sokka looked about to explode.

"She did _what_?" Sokka came up to Zuko as fast as his one leg would let him and gave him a poke in the chest. "Why the _hell_ did you let my sister fight Azula alone! You were supposed to protect her, she could have been _killed_!"

Zuko's eyes narrowed in anger. "So you think _you_ could have done a better job protecting her?"

"Stop it!" Katara told the both of them, but Sokka ignored her and answered him, "Yeah, I do. And I damn sure wouldn't have let her fight your psychotic sister alone!"

"Sokka, _shut up_!" Katara yelled as she pushed herself between the two of them, her face red in anger as she faced her brother. "Zuko saved my life, you _moron_! If it weren't for him, I _would_ be dead!"

Sokka's jaw dropped and his mouth hung wide open at Katara's pronouncement, and the mixture of confusion and amazement on his face would have been comical if the situation hadn't been so serious. Zuko saw the same mixture of emotions on both Suki and Toph's face, but Aang's expression contained something else entirely, something more akin to jealousy.

"Oh," Sokka finally muttered, "I didn't know…Well, in that case… I guess I owe you my thanks, Zuko."

Zuko was still too agitated to do anything but dismiss his words. "Whatever. I didn't do it out of some sense of duty to you. I would never let any harm come to Katara. Not while I can help it." His voice had become fierce and protective by the time he finished speaking, and he could almost feel all the unanswered questions in the air as the others gave Katara and him curious looks. Katara must have felt it as well and, wishing to forestall any further questions, quickly focused on her brother's injury.

"What did you do to your leg?" Katara asked her brother irritably as she began to examine it more closely.

"I was trying to keep Toph from plunging to her death," Sokka answered her sullenly, "And I somehow kinda broke my leg in the process."

"That's my hero!" Suki exclaimed sweetly while Toph snickered.

Katara stood back up after she had finished her initial examination, "Yeah, you definitely broke it. I'm going to need you to lie down so I can start trying to heal it."

"We can take him to a private room," Zuko told the others, and both he and Suki moved to help support Sokka.

With Zuko directing them as they went, they slowly made their way towards the guest wing in the palace. Once he had showed them the room, they helped ease Sokka into the large bed. While Katara and Suki hovered protectively over the injured boy, Zuko decided to retreat back to the doorway, to give them some space. Toph and Aang had also decided to hang back a little in the room. While Aang looked a little concerned, Toph merely looked amused.

She looked over at Zuko and gave him a mischievous grin. "Bet you ten silvers that Sokka squeals like a little girl during the whole thing."

Knowing how 'tough' Sokka was, Zuko smirked. "No bet."

"Hey, I heard that!" Sokka protested, but soon he was shushed by Katara and Sukki.

"Hold still," Katara then instructed her brother as her water glove appeared and she held it over his leg.

"AGHH! Make it stop!" Sokka yelled as he tried to flinch away, but Sukki had a firm hold on him.

Meanwhile, Katara gave him a flat stare, "Sokka, I didn't even do anything yet."

Toph and Aang snickered while Sokka hastily tried to explain, "Yeah… I knew that. I was just… practicing. You know, for when you actually did start. So I would build up my tolerance."

"Sorry, Snoozles," Toph happily interjected, "but that's a flat out lie."

"How do you know! Maybe my heartbeat is all jacked up because my so-called healer of a sister…. EEOWW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! " Sokka screeched as the glow of Katara's healing began enveloping his leg, "It feels like you're breaking it more, not healing it!"

"I _am_ healing it," Katara replied through gritted teeth, as she moved both her hands up and down.

"Don't worry, Sokka," Aang told him soothingly, "Katara knows what she's doing. It may hurt a lot at first, but it'll get better. Eventually."

"YEOW!" Sokka exclaimed as more pain hit him, and then he directed a dirty look at Aang, "And how exactly is that supposed to comfort me?"

Toph crossed her arms, "Snoozles, you're such a wuss."

"Ouch! No I'm not!"

Zuko snorted, "Please, Sokka. I've seen six year-old girls tolerate more pain than you do."

"Oh, yeah," Sokka tried to challenge him and he continued to squirm under Katara's healing, "Let me break _your_ leg and then we'll see how well you _tolerate_ it."

"Ha!" Zuko laughed at the thought of Sokka taking him on, "I'd like to see you _try_."

"You better be glad I'm being held back… Oww! Geez, Katara, this is more torture than it is healing!"

"Well, maybe if you just sat still instead of jumping around like an antsy jackelope, I'd be done already," Katara said in a huff. Finally, Sokka quieted down, though he still did plenty of wincing and groaning.

After several more minutes, Katara finally released her water glove and sat down on a nearby chair, giving a tired sigh, "There, that's all I can do for now. The bones have been mended together, but it will still be a little painful and sore. You'll still need to stay off of it as much as you can, for now."

"Thanks, Katara," Suki told her gratefully, and when Sokka didn't say anything, she elbowed him.

"Yeah, thanks sis," Sokka grudgingly admitted, but soon enough he brightened up, "So, what's to eat around here?"

The others chuckled, while Katara muttered, "Boys really do only think with their stomachs."

Zuko cleared his throat, "Well, there should be plenty of food in the kitchens, you'll just need to help yourselves for right now."

"Hey, I have an idea!" Aang chimed in excitedly as he looked at all of them, "We're all finally together again, so we should celebrate tonight!"

Toph smiled, "That's not a bad idea, Twinkle Toes. After what we've all accomplished, we deserve some fun and relaxation."

"Yes!" Sukko exclaimed, "It's party time! Bring on the feast!"

"I hate to damper the mood," Zuko interjected, "But there's a lot of things that need to be done now that the war is over. Do we really have time to be partying?"

"And some of us," Katara directed a pointed look at Sokka, "need to be resting from their injuries."

"Of course we have time to celebrate," Sokka told them, and then he gently patted his leg, "I think a little R & R is just what I need to recover."

"For once, I think Snoozles is right," Toph reluctantly admitted, and then gave both Katara and Zuko knowing looks, "You two need to quit being the responsible Mom and Dad for at least one night and just relax. It'll do wonders for all of us."

Katara and Zuko blushed at the meaning behind Toph's choice of words. Now that he and Katara were back with the entire group, some of their previous awkwardness was beginning to return, and neither one of them knew exactly what to do about the situation. The next time they were alone, Zuko resolved to talk to Katara about it.

"Then it's settled," Sokka announced, "the victory bash is going down tonight!"

Zuko sighed. "Fine. But you guys are going to have to put it together yourselves. There's something important that I have to do before tonight."

"And what's that?" Katara asked him cautiously.

"Now that both Azula and Ozai have been defeated, I can announce my claim to the Fire Nation throne. With Fire Sage Yuuto as my witness, I will make my official pronouncement tonight, so that I can start making the arrangements for the coronation ceremony."

"Alright! More feasts and parties!" Sokka rubbed his hands excitedly, but then looked at Zuko thoughtfully, "Wait… does this mean I'm going to have to bow and call you 'Your Highness'?"

Zuko grimaced. "At least not in private. I guess I'm going to have to get used to the bowing and scraping again… and all the meetings and paperwork…ugh!"

Sokka's voice became mockingly prim and proper. "All part of being royalty, Your Jerkbender-Ness."

They all groaned at Sokka's antics, while Katara commented, "Sokka, sorry, but that wasn't funny."

"Okay, wait… what about 'Your Royal Jerkness'… oh, or even better, the 'Jerkbender Lord'?"

"Sokka," Toph told him, "You're hopeless."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Just make sure there'll be some food left in the palace after tonight, or you'll be on permanent hunting detail."

After saying his goodbyes, Zuko left the room and headed to meet the fire sage, and to greet his nation.

* * *

It didn't take too long for the gang, minus Zuko, to find the kitchens and pantries in the royal palace. The first large food storage room they had come across had been full of different kinds of meats, and Sokka had practically started slobbering on the spot before running inside and dragging Suki with him. Toph finally saw her chance to get some one-on-one talk with Katara, so after convincing Aang to go after the others, she grabbed Katara and headed to a different part of the kitchen.

Once Toph had made sure they were far enough away, she turned towards the water tribe girl and crossed her arms. "Okay, Sugar Queen, it's just you and me now, so it's time for you to give the juicy details."

Katara actually sounded confused. "What are you talking about?"

The water tribe girl had really grown on Toph, and she had even begun to think of Katara as a big sister. Heck, she was bossy, opinionated, and overprotective just like a big sister should be. But sometimes Katara could still act pretty dense. Like now.

"Oh, come on, Sweetness. I'm talking about you and Sparky."

"You mean Zuko?" Katara's heart immediately sped up ten times faster. "There's nothing going on between us."

 _Please, does she really think she's going to slip this past me?_ "Lying was never your area of expertise, Sugar Queen, so I suggest you 'fess up."

Katara remained silent for a while before she finally sighed. "Fine. But you can't tell Sokka or Suki, and especially not Aang."

"Oh, yeah, 'cause you know _I'm_ really the gossip type."

"Toph, I'm serious, I want you to promise."

"Geez, don't get your hair loopies all twisted in a knot. I promise, my lips are sealed."

"Okay, fine," Katara replied, and then she took a deep breath, her words coming out in an excited rush, "Zuko and I have kissed."

"Ha! I knew it!" Toph said triumphantly, "When did it happen?"

"Well, the first time was right after we defeated Azula… and there's been a lot more since."

The girl was practically gushing with happiness, and while Toph could have done with a little less mushiness, it was good to know that Katara had lightened up some.

"So, you and Sparky are a couple now, huh?"

Katara tensed at her question, which didn't make any sense to Toph. "Well… I'm not sure. We haven't really talked about it."

"What's there to talk about? You both obviously like each other, and you've locked lips several times, so what's the hold up?"

"Toph… it's not that simple."

 _Just when I think the girl starts acting sensible…_ Toph wasn't going to let her off without an explanation, "Try me."

She took a breath as if to speak, but said nothing, and when she turned to slowly walk into the nearby panty, Toph followed, letting her collect her thoughts.

"It's just that, Zuko is going to be the next Fire Lord. He's going to be in charge of running a nation, and there will be certain things expected of him…" she seemed to struggle to find the right words, "I mean, he's probably going to have to marry a Fire Nation noblewoman, or something."

"Did you ever ask Sparky about it?"

"Well, no… but," Katara sighed, "I have responsibilities too, to my family and the Water Tribes. There's so much be done, with rebuilding our village, and I need to continue my training with Master Pakku… I don't even know how much longer I'm going to be here. And then there's Aang..."

Toph felt a pang of sadness for Aang, because she understood what it felt like to have feelings for someone that didn't return it. When she had first joined the group, she had developed a crush on Sokka, and it had really sucked when she had found out about him and Suki.

"Yeah, Twinkle Toes is still crushing on you pretty hard."

"I know I need to tell him how I feel, I just… I don't want to hurt his feelings."

 _Ugh, there is such a thing as being too nice._ "Seriously, Sweetness. You can't keep leading the boy on just because you don't want to upset him. That's not fair to you or him. You have to tell him how you really feel."

"You're right, I'm just afraid that he'll be so angry with me he won't ever want to speak to me again."

Toph raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, come on. This is Twinkle Toes we're talking about, after all. The happy-go-lucky, forgive and forget, let's all hold hands kind of guy. Yeah, he'll be upset when you tell him, but eventually he'll cool off and get over it." She let Katara digest this for a moment, and then she continued, "You also need to stop stressing over this responsibility stuff. It's great that you want to help others out and do your part, but you can't let it take over your life. You need to do what's best for you too."

There was silence for a short time, and when Katara finally spoke again, she did sound more relaxed, "Thanks, Toph. I needed to hear that."

"No problem, Sugar Queen."

Katara then sounded amused, "So, where did you get all this good advice from?"

Toph chuckled and began to walk further in the room, starting to feel out what was around her, "Oh, I have my sources."

She stopped when a certain distinct aroma caught her nose, and she smiled, "Hey, Sweetness, over here."

Katara came over to her and faced the source of her curiosity, "What do you want with this stuff? We're supposed to be finding food, not drinks."

"Sparky said to help ourselves, so we're taking it with us," Toph then gave her companion a devious grin, "Tonight, we're going to relax, and we're going to have _fun_."


	6. Living For the Present

This chapter has always been one of my favorites-not only because the Gaang is back and they get to have time to catch up and have fun, but we get to see Z&K's relationship continue to grow and evolve. While it is mostly fun and light-hearted, it does have some serious moments in it (and possibly some foreshadowing). This chapter and the next closes out the intro/exposition part of the story so by the time we get to Chapter 8, we are introduced to main antagonist(s) and all the challenges that will come with that.

Rating note: The last little bit of this chapter does contain a steamy scene with some suggestive adult themes, but it is not explicit, hence the (T)Teen rating. So far, I intend to keep it at this rating, but if that changes I will update the rating on story page.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

After some discussion, in which sand castle contests were mentioned, the group decided to head to the beach. Luckily, Zuko knew of a small, secluded beach off the western side of the capital island, so after loading Appa with their spoils, they had made a quick flight to their getaway destination. Prodded along by Sokka's moaning about how he was literally wasting away from hunger, they had quickly got a huge fire going and prepared their 'victory-feast', as Sokka and then Aang, kept calling it.

Between ravenous bites of food, the friends related the tales of their victorious exploits, though most of the dramatic storytelling was done by Sokka, unsurprisingly. Neither Zuko nor Katara said much about what had transpired to them over the last several days, but thankfully, this fact went mostly unnoticed in the excitement of their reunion. Just as Katara had predicted, Sokka's head seemed to swell up to twice its normal size for each compliment that she and Zuko gave on their friends' battles, and so she and Suki had took it upon themselves to "relieve" Sokka of his swelling, minding his injured leg, of course.

Once their appetites had been sated, Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Suki had insisted on continuing their sand castle building. Zuko had no inclination whatsoever in the activity, so he had politely declined their invitation, and Katara had soon followed suit. At first, Aang's expression had been one of extreme disappointment, but it was short-lived as Toph began to unceremoniously drag him to the water's edge. As their friends constructed their sand masterpieces by the light of the fire and the nearly full moon, Katara and Zuko spent their time chatting in front of the fire.

Sitting next to each other, but mindful to keep some space between themselves, they conversed with an ease that was still relatively new, but very satisfying. They touched on a variety of topics, from their favorite foods and activities to some of the wacky things that had happened to them while on their travels. A light, flirtatious undertone was present throughout their conversation, and it was apparent that they were both taking extreme delight in teasing each other.

"You mean to tell me that your uncle Iroh set you up on a blind date?"

"Unfortunately, yes. My ship was stationed at one of the more remote Fire Nation colonies at the time of the Fire Lily festival. For some reason, he had gotten it in his thick skull that the only way I was going to enjoy the festivities was if I was on a date. Needless to say, when I thought I was meeting him at one of the local taverns, I actually was meeting a local girl he set me up with."

"And she didn't mind going on a date with a banished prince?"

"She either didn't care, or she didn't notice. I tend to lean towards the latter."

Katara giggled at his dry assessment, and then realized something, "Um, no offense, Zuko, but how could she not notice who you were?"

A pained look appeared on Zuko's face as he reminisced about that night. "Probably because she was too busy non-stop chattering about her hair, her makeup, whether or not her dress made her look fat, what kind of dancing was going on that night…. Agni, the only time she was silent was the two seconds it took for her to shove food in her mouth. Add to the fact that she didn't have the cognitive capacity to think past her nose… well, I think you get the picture."

"That's kinda harsh, Zuko."

"It's the truth. I can't help it if it sounds particularly harsh."

"Come on, she can't have been all _that_ bad."

"I suppose she was kinda pretty, in a way. But she definitely wasn't my type."

Katara smiled and coyly asked, "So what _is_ your type?"

She was beginning to love that mischievous grin of his, "I guess you can say I go for the bossy and opinionated type."

"I am _not_ bossy and opinionated," she protested with a huff, which caused Zuko to chuckle.

Irritated, she leaned over and gave him a playful punch in the shoulder, which made his laughter stop and caused a slight wince to grace his features. _Ugh, smooth move, Katara._ The healer in her immediately kicked into gear.

"Sorry, I kinda forgot about your old injury. Here, let me look at it."

But he fended off her inquiring hands and tried to look blasé, "You just caught me off guard, that's all. I'm fine."

"I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much. Now let me see it."

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Don't tell me it's nothing. I can tell that you're lying."

"How is that?" an incredulous look passed over his face, "Did you suddenly become a blind earthbender when I wasn't looking?"

"No, you idiot, I just know!" she suddenly became very self-conscious and hesitated at the saying the rest, "When you're not telling the truth, your brow furrows a little and you get that certain look in your eyes..."

Zuko looked like he didn't know whether to be pleased or concerned with this revelation, "…okay, so that spot has been a little tender lately. It's not a big deal."

"Zuko, just let me look at it."

"I said it's fine. Quit being so stubborn about this."

"I'm being stubborn? You're making an ox-mule look agreeable by comparison. Now, let me see it!"

"And I said I'm alright, you don't need to-"

Katara finally lost her temper. "Zuko, JUST TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT!"

And, of course, it was at that particular moment, when Katara had her hands on Zuko's chest and yelled for him to unclothe, that Suki came up on the two of them.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked, a bemused expression on her face.

"-No, not at all-"

"-it's not what it looks like!" Katara said in a rush as she scooted back from Zuko, trying to school her blushing features.

Suki crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow, "And what exactly _does_ it look like?"

"We were just… it's nothing, okay?" she spluttered in response, and then directed an accusing glare at the other girl, "And what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm grabbing some fire gummies for that insatiable brother of yours," Suki then grinned, "I'll promise I'll be quick, so you two can go back to doing _nothing_ , then."

Suki then gave Katara the I-know-you're-lying-so-we'll-talk-later look, and promptly grabbed her loot and headed back to the beach again. Katara waited until her friend had gone a safe distance away before she turned back to Zuko, determined to make the Fire Prince obey.

"Listen to me, _Your Highness_. I am your personal healer and I am ordering you to let me look at your wound, and, soon-to-be-Fire-Lord or no, you're going to listen to me!"

Katara had expected more resistance from him, but much to her surprise, he started laughing. And not just a little chuckle, but a full and deep laughter that she had never heard from him before. His whole countenance seemed to brighten and radiate… happiness. The sight of it left her momentarily stunned, and a little breathless.

His laughter soon turned into chuckles, and finally he regained enough composure to address her, "so...what was it that you said about not being bossy?"

That snapped Katara out of it. _Spirits help me,_ she thought as she rolled her eyes _._ Instead of answering, she merely pointed at his tunic.

Smirking, Zuko proceeded to remove his shirt, and Katara took pleasure in noting how the muscles in his chest and arms rippled as they completed the action. Her eyes roved over his well-defined abs, up to his toned pecs, and onward, until they came to rest on his eyes. There was a both amusement and satisfaction in Zuko's gaze when he realized that she had been staring at him the whole time.

 _Busted_ , she thought as her cheeks began to redden. Embarrassed, she immediately brought her attention back to the matter at hand, and focused on gathering enough moisture out of the air to use for the healing. Gracefully guiding it into a single stream, she then formed it into a glove and placed it over Zuko's old wound. Not wanting to get distracted again, she made sure to keep her attention on the injury itself, and manipulated the water so that she could gauge how it was healing.

"There's not much more I can do," Katara told him as she finished her examination and released her water glove. She was very conscious of how warm and soft his chest felt underneath her hands, and even though she no longer had a legitimate reason to keep her hands there, she couldn't bring herself to remove them. "All the major tissues and muscles have healed now, it will just need a little more time for the rest of it to heal."

His voice was barely more than a whisper, "Thank you, Katara."

She finally tilted her head up, and as had already happened several times that night, Katara felt her pulse quicken as Zuko's golden eyes locked onto hers. Through her hands on his chest, she could feel his heart suddenly beating faster, and the knowledge that she was having the same kind of effect on him filled her with deep satisfaction.

He reached up and gently brushed his fingers along her jaw, his eyes following his own movements as he lovingly traced the curve of her cheek. A small sigh escaped her lips as she focused on the feel of his skin and the warmth of his caress. Impossibly, the heat coming from his hand seemed to growing even hotter, and as he leaned towards her, she closed her eyes in anticipation.

When Katara felt the warmth and softness of his lips against her forehead, she opened her eyes in surprise. Disappointment flooded through her, and she was about to ask Zuko what was going on, when she heard a commotion behind her. She turned towards the beach, and saw her friends quickly making their way back towards their campsite. Suddenly, she was very glad that at least one of them had kept their wits about them.

Katara looked back at Zuko, to see what he was doing, and saw that he was already in the process of putting his tunic back on. The action was necessary, but regrettable. It was ridiculous how easily the sight of his chiseled torso left her distracted and speechless. _Hmm… if only I could find a reason for him to stay shirtless…_

Her scheming was interrupted as the group began came closer, and a light-hearted argument broke out amongst her friends. Sokka scoffed at something Aang had said, and now began to assert himself.

"No offense, Aang, but there's no way you won the sand building contest. Your zoo wasn't that authentic. First of all, no one would stick a platypus bear, an elephant mandrill, and a rabbiroo in the same area together. It just wouldn't work-"

"-Actually," Aang interrupted him, "They did at the zoo in Ba Sing Se. I helped put the animals in myself."

"Really? So that's where you went that time…" Sokka shook his head, and continued his rant, "Eh-hem, as I was saying… secondly, some of your animals were off. I mean, your otter-penguin only had two flippers instead of four. And lastly, but most importantly, there wasn't a snack bar anywhere to be found! How can you have a zoo and no food?"

Aang, however, stubbornly refused to give in. "At least you could tell it was a zoo. I didn't even know that you had made the Northern Water Tribe palace, until you told Suki that the circle of blobs was your grandfather Pakku and his students."

"You could totally tell that was Gramp-Gramp," Sokka replied in a huff, "He had individual lumps for his head, arms, and legs, and I even showed him doing a really badass waterbending move too."

"So that's what that was?" Suki interjected, "…It looked like he had tentacles coming out of his arms."

Sokka's face took on a look of pained frustration, but before he could reply, Toph stepped in.

"Boys, boys. I hate to break it to you, but your little mud piles paled in comparison to the magnificence of my Western Air Temple!"

"It was really good," Aang grudgingly admitted, and a huge grin appeared on his face, "She even made the air bison obstacle course and racetrack!"

Sokka harrumphed, "Toph's doesn't count, she made the entire thing with her earthbending."

Toph gave him a sly smile. "Don't hate on the skills just because you're jealous."

At this point, Suki finally stepped in. "I think everyone's piece had something special about it. Can't we just consider it a tie?"

Aang slowly nodded, "I think Suki is right. The important thing is that we had fun."

"Um, Suki?" Sokka gently nudged Suki and then whispered so loudly they could all still hear it, "Perhaps I didn't go over this yet, but as my girlfriend, you're kinda supposed to, you know, vote for me…"

Suki promptly crossed her arms and gave him a look, "Oh really? So I'm not allowed to think for myself or act on my own?"

He hurriedly replied, "No, that's not what I meant at all…"

Katara chuckled at her brother's predicament, and Zuko shook his head in exasperation before addressing Sokka. "Sokka, you might want to quit before you dig yourself into a deeper hole."

But Suki's expression had transformed into one of endearment, and she went to wrap her arms around Sokka, "It's okay, snuggly wookums, you know I can't stay mad at you."

Zuko made a slight choking noise, and a somewhat amused and horrified expression appeared on his face, " _Snuggly wookums_?"

Sokka didn't pay him any mind, however, and soon him and Suki became engrossed in their own kiss. Katara blushed at their public display of affection, but inwardly, she was very happy for both her brother and her friend. They did make for a cute couple. Some of their group, however, was not so PDA-tolerant.

Toph grimaced, "Oh, get a room already. It's getting way too mushy around here."

The two of them quickly separated, and Sokka indignantly turned to Toph, "But you can't even see what's going on!"

"Duh, but I can still feel you _and_ hear you."

"Oh," Sokka at least had the decency to look embarrassed, "Yeah, so… what now?"

"I know!" Aang replied excitedly, "Let's play a round of hide and explode! I haven't played that one in ages!"

Katara could tell from the expressions on her friend's faces that they were having the same thoughts as Katara. "Aang, it's been a long day and what with Sokka's leg, we should probably take it easy."

Aang looked a little crestfallen, but he relented, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I know what we need right now!" Toph told the group, "We need some relaxation!"

"What kind of relaxation?" Suki asked her curiously.

Toph rubbed her hands together and vaguely answered, "You'll see."

Katara had a feeling she knew where this was going, and her suspicions were proven correct when Toph went and retrieved one of the jugs that had found earlier that evening.

When Toph took the cap off of the jug, Aang came and took a huge whiff, promptly causing him to wrinkle his nose, "Whew! This stuff burns my nose. What is it?"

The others began to investigate as well, but Zuko didn't even have to get close before he recognized it, "This is fire whiskey! Where did you find that?"

"Does it matter?" Toph smirked, "You said we could do whatever we wanted, so I brought it."

Zuko ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "Yeah, I meant that for food, not booze."

Toph crossed her arms. "Well, why not? I think we deserve a little victory toast."

"Just for the record," Sokka interrupted, "I agree with Toph on this one." And for once, Katara secretly agreed with Sokka, but she wasn't about to let him know that.

Zuko's eyebrows drew down in a frown. "That stuff is too strong for kids-." But his pronouncement had barely left his lips before it was met with protests from all sides.

"-Who are you calling a 'kid'?!-"

"-If we're old enough to save the world, we're old enough to have a few sips-"

"-I'll have you know that in my village, people our age are already married and having kids-"

"-You know, I'm actually 113 years old, so technically, I'm the adult in the group-"

"Fine!" Zuko raised his hands and cut off the rest of their tirades, "Go ahead! But don't say I didn't warn you."

Without further delay, the cups were brought out and soon everyone was settled around the fire again with a drink in hand. Sokka raised his glass in the air, and the rest quickly followed suit.

"To Team Avatar! We totally kicked some Fire Nation ass out there –no offense, Zuko-"

"-none taken-"

"…and we pulled it all together in the end."

"Here, here!" they echoed, and Aang added, "I would have never gotten this far and been able to defeat the Fire Lord without all of you guys. This is truly _our_ victory, every one of ours."

"To friends," he solemnly announced, and once everyone had repeated him, they all took a long drink from their cups.

The drink was strong and fiery, but Katara should have guessed as much. This was the same nation, after all, that had made fire flakes, a snack so hot and spicy that it flayed the taste buds off of your tongue and made you sprint for the nearest water source. While there was a hint of spice flavor in the strong drink, it was quickly replaced by a bitterness and heat that burned all the way down her throat as she swallowed the concoction. She cast furtive glances at her friends to see how they were faring, and was relieved to see many of the same reactions.

"Wow, how can people drink this stuff regularly?" Aang made a face after he downed his first gulp.

Zuko, who didn't seem fazed by the swallow he had just taken, chuckled at his naiveté. "It's an acquired taste, to say the least."

Katara felt compelled to ask, "So, you've had this stuff before?"

He shrugged. "Back during my banishment, they always had some stocked on my ship, for certain festivals and special occasions. I may have tried it a time or two."

"Yeah, it's nothing a _man_ can't handle," Sokka attempted to imitate the older teenager, even as he tried to stifle a cough.

"Oh, please," Katara muttered at her brother false bravado, but Suki seemed to think it was cute, which only puffed Sokka up even more.

Suddenly, an idea seemed to strike Sokka, "Ooh, I know what we should do! We should tell some more scary stories!"

"That's an excellent idea!" Aang exclaimed, "I've been saving a good one for just such an occasion."

"I don't know," Katara said uncertainly, "Remember what happened the last time we told ghost stories around a campfire?"

Sokka waved his hand dismissively, "Don't be ridiculous, this is totally different. We're here on the beach, not lost in the middle of a creepy forest. It'll be fun, trust me."

"And besides," Toph had a mischievous glint in her eyes as she glanced at Katara, "if anything happens this time, you have big, bad Zuko here to protect you."

"Toph!" both her and Zuko yelled at the earthbender, but she merely smirked at them.

"Eh-hem," Suki got everyone's attention again, "I think stories are an excellent idea, but who gets to go first?"

Aang begged to go first, and so he was the first of their group to share his story, and was soon followed by the others. The teenager's natural competitiveness kicked in, and each story seemed to get better and scarier with each new turn. Of course, it was hard to tell if they had actually gotten better at telling stories since the last time they did this, or if it was merely a little of the booze kicking in. There were several occasions where a story got interrupted due to someone shrieking, which would, in turn, cause a string of snorting and laughing fits. Despite all his tough 'man' talk, Katara noted it was Sokka who had done most of the shrieking.

The last one to go was Zuko, but when it came to his turn, the firebender reverted back to his sullen and sulky disposition. "I'll pass, thank you."

"No way!" Sokka protested, "There's no passing in the story circle!"

"Come on, Zuko," Aang tried to persuade his friend, "We all took turns telling one. It's fun!"

"It's not as if we're asking you to tell a joke," Katara teased him.

Zuko sighed, "Look, it's just that… I don't really know any ghost stories."

"What?" Sokka exclaimed, "You have to know at least one. Didn't you and Azula used to tell each other scary stories when you were little?"

Zuko kept his face completely void of any emotion. "No, we didn't. The only stories my sister was interested in was the war reports, and the more gruesome, the better."

Sokka shifted uncomfortably where he sat, "Okay… my bad for bringing up the evil and demented sibling…so do you know any other kind of stories? ... Preferably ones that don't involve any mutilations or psychotic plots to enslave the world…"

The Fire Prince was quiet for a moment, and then he got a sheepish look on his face. "Well, I do know this one… it's a really old Fire Nation story, I guess you'd call it a myth of sorts, that not many people know about anymore."

"Is this going to be a boring history lesson?" Toph asked warily.

The wisps of a smile appeared on his face, "No, I promise you'll like it. It has misadventures, battles, and even dragons in it."

"Ooh, an old-fashioned bedtime story!" Suki exclaimed.

"Let's hear it," Katara told Zuko, her interest now piqued as well.

"Alright," Zuko told them, "This story touches on the very beginnings of the Fire Nation, and on the man who helped to forge it into what it is today. But his journey wouldn't be an easy one, and it was one that would be filled with hardships and trials."

As soon as Zuko had started to speak, a transformation had come over him. All the discomfort and anxiety that had lingered with him vanished, and his voice now had a deep and almost magical quality about it as he proceeded to tell the legend.

"A long time ago, before there was a Fire Nation, the islands in the west were each ruled over by their own chieftains, and, for the most part, they kept to themselves. One thing that all the islands had in common was their reverence for Agni, the patron god of the West. It was Agni that brought the first people to the islands, and it was him that sent the dragons to teach to the people how to firebend. The first firebenders were known as the Sun Warriors, and for centuries they practiced and honed the gifts they were given. Eventually, travelers from the largest of the islands came to the Sun Warriors, and were allowed to study with them, and soon they brought their knowledge back to the future Capital Island. The people of Capital Island rejoiced at the tremendous powers that were given to them by Agni, and in his honor, they built a huge fire temple located in the heart of the island itself, the caldera."

"The people prospered and all was peaceful for a time, until a young firebender named Hiroto became the new chieftain. Soon after Hiroto took charge, he arrogantly decided to rebuild the capital city and to erect a large palace within the caldera itself from which he would rule. In order to get the resources he would need for his momentous project, Hiroto used the superior numbers and firebending of the capital island to begin taking over the surrounding islands."

"-geez," Sokka interrupted, "what do they feed children in the Fire Nation to make them want to grow up and conquer every living thing in sight?"

"It must be the Fire Flakes," Katara replied with a smile, but Zuko was not amused.

"Eh-hem, if you two are done telling jokes, could I please continue?"

"Hey, Snoozles and Sugar Queen," Toph yelled good naturally at the pair, "stuff a sock in it! I want to hear the story!"

"Alright," Zuko announced, "As I was saying…"

"Hiroto was very successful in his campaign to conquer the other islands in the west. Soon he had taken over dozens of islands, and with his abundance of gold and resources, began his construction projects. When Agni saw what Hiroto had done, and that he had used his gift of firebending to subjugate those around him, Agni was deeply angered. So he sent another one of the gods, Omoki, the god of knowledge and cunning, to Hiroto, to give him this message: that Hiroto was to immediately give up his conquests and his plans to rebuild the capital city and his palace. But Hiroto was proud and stubborn, and would not listen to Omoki, and in his anger, he demanded that the god leave the capital and never come back."

"And so Hiroto's conquests continued, until all the islands in the west had been conquered except for one, the island of Saitama. The people of Saitama were a very peaceful people, and had almost no weapons to speak of, and so when they saw Hiroto's army approaching, they sent their priestess, a young woman named Ayame, to try to negotiate a peace treaty with Hiroto. When Hiroto arrived on Saitama and saw Ayame, he instantly fell in love with her, for he had never seen a woman with such beauty and inner strength as she. Hiroto was so altered and love stricken by meeting the young priestess, that he even called off the army, and ordered them to return back to Capital Island. The young chieftain told Ayame of his love for her and asked for her to return with him, but she rejected both his offer and his love. This, however, did not deter Hiroto, and so he would spend the next several weeks trying to win over Ayame's affections. He would even frequently travel to the most mountainous and dangerous part of the island to pick the rare Fire Lily, so that he could lay the flower at Ayame's doorstep every morning. And so, ever so slowly, Hiroto won over Ayame's heart, until she agreed to travel back to the Capital Island with him, to become his wife."

"-Aw, that's so sweet!" Suko cooed, "I just love weddings, too!"

"Ugh," Toph moaned, "If this is going to turn all sickly sweet and gooey-"

"Just be patient," Zuko reassured her, and then gave both Sokka and Suki a look, "if you don't mind?..."

"Okay, okay, go ahead."

"Right. So when Hiroto and Ayame returned to the Capital Island, they threw a huge feast to honor Hiroto's victories and his engagement. They also announced that they would have their wedding in a just a few months, when the new palace was scheduled to be finished. When Agni heard how Hiroto had reacted to his message, and saw that Hiroto had defiantly continued building his new palace, he became furious. In his rage, he called forth hundreds upon hundreds of dragons to attack the island and assault the capital. Upon seeing the immeasurable host gathered to crush them, Hiroto immediately prepared to defend the city, and used every ship in the fleet to take as many as the woman and children as they could off the island to safety. Fearing for his beloved's safety, Hiroto tried to convince Ayame to leave as well, but she refused, and would not leave her betrothed's side. Before the attack started, Hiroto went into the main fire temple, and prayed for Agni's forgiveness, and for him to halt the attack, but his pleas went unheeded."

"Soon, the dragons attacked and the fierce battle commenced. The battle lasted for several days, and while the firebenders fought bravely, they were finally overwhelmed and pushed back to the very center of the capital itself. Upon realizing that the end was near, Hiroto went one last time to the fire temple, to plead for help. No longer caring for his own life, but only that of his betrothed, he called upon any of the gods or spirits to spare Ayame's life. Within moments, Omoki, the god that Hiroto had earlier spurned, appeared before the chieftain and told him he would help Hiroto. But in exchange for saving Ayame's life, Hiroto must give up something in return, the one thing that had made Hiroto's victorious conquests possible, firebending. Hiroto vowed to protect his love, no matter the cost, so he instantly agreed, and so Omoki told him that if Ayame came of her own free will, he would be able to take her to safety. Knowing that Ayame wouldn't leave his side willingly, Hiroto was forced into deceiving Ayame, and breaking her heart. In her pain and grief, she fled from Hiroto and came upon Omoki, disguised as her father, and so she agreed to leave the island, and Omoki guided them both to safety.

"Hiroto's heart was broken, but the knowledge that Ayame was alive and safe kept him going. Even though Hiroto no longer had his firebending, he took up his sword and bravely faced the dragon hoard that was waiting to finish off the city. But when Agni found out about Hiroto's selfless sacrifice, and his willingness to bravely defend his people, Agni was touched, and decided to call off the attack and spare the city. Agni himself then appeared before Hiroto, and with his blessings gave the chieftain back his firebending. Hiroto was humbled and honored at the patron god's appearance, but could only think of one thing, Ayame. He asked Agni for his beloved, but Agni could not help him, for Hiroto had made a pact with Omoki, and a pact with another god is something that could not be broken. The chieftain went every day to the temple and called for Omoki to bring Ayame back, but the god never answered him. Hiroto sent his entire fleet out into every part of the west to look for his love, but they never found her."

"Hiroto did unite all the islands behind him, and it was under his leadership that the Fire Nation was born. The west became peaceful again, and it prospered under Hiroto's just and kind leadership. He was also awarded a new title, and so it was that Hiroto became the first Fire Lord."

"But Hiroto never forgot about his love for Ayame. Ever year, on the anniversary of her disappearance, he would gather thousands of fire lily blooms, and have them scattered and decorated across the capital city, so that he might remember the woman who forever touched his heart. The people loved the new Fire Lord so much that, even after Hiroto passed away, the people of the Fire Nation still honored his wishes, and would decorate their cities red every year with fire lilies. And so it was, they say, that the modern day Fire Lily festival was born."

For a while, everyone was silent, and then some sniffling could be heard.

Sokka had those big, sad droopy eyes, and his lips seemed to tremble ever so slightly as he began to speak, "That…was…so… sad!"

"Yeah," Suki solemnly agreed, "Hiroto and Ayame seemed destined for each other. It just doesn't seem fair!"

"A lot of what happens in real life isn't fair," Zuko replied softly, lost in his own thoughts.

Toph then spoke up, "Well, Sparky, I have to admit, that was pretty epic. And I did like it."

"I liked it too," Katara spoke with a small smile, and then a thought crossed her mind, "Is that a story that your mother told you?"

Zuko returned her smile, but it was tinged with sadness, "It is. It was one of her favorite stories to read to me when I was young."

"Did all that stuff really happen?" Aang asked Zuko, but the firebender could only shrug.

"No one is really sure. It happened so long ago that it's hard to separate fact from the legend."

Silence returned to the group, until Toph cleared her throat, "Okay, now that we've had story time, I suggest a change in pace."

The group readily agreed with this, and soon they found themselves laughing again. Though Katara had fun joining in with her friends, she couldn't get Zuko's story out of her head. She kept thinking about how Hiroto had sacrificed so much just to keep Ayame safe. The thing that kept bothering Katara, and left her with an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach, was how close that sounded to a certain firebender of hers.

* * *

Katara closed her eyes, and breathed in deeply, inhaling the unique mixture of smells that the beach offered her. The sound of the ocean as it approached the shoreline soothed her, and it felt good to wiggle her bare feet deeper into the sand. Using her bending, she extended her senses into the water around her and felt the push and pull of its rhythm. She did not try to move it or control it at all, but simply embraced it and enjoyed the feeling. The ocean comforted her in a way that she herself could not really explain.

"You couldn't go to sleep either?" she heard Zuko ask her as he walked towards her.

"No. I guess I have too much on my mind," Katara then turned and smiled at him, "So did everyone make it to bed?"

Zuko shook his head ruefully, "Finally. Do you know how hard it is to get a drunk earthbender who thinks they can crush you with a single finger to listen to reason?"

Katara chuckled as she pictured their battle of wills, "I still can't believe Toph dared you to drink the last of that jug."

"It wasn't really that much," Zuko offered with a shrug, and then he further explained, "You can't afford to be a lightweight on a ship with a bunch of sailors. It can have… unfortunate consequences."

His mouth twisted sourly at this last mention, and she smirked, "Speaking of unfortunate consequences... were Sokka and Aang still giggling like little school girls or did Suki finally settle them down?"

A very amused expression appeared on his face, "Yeah, she did, though she had to threaten to make them eat my cooking for a week before they complied."

Katara had to fight back a laugh, for Suki's threat would have scared her as well. Their group had tried Zuko's cooking only once before, and that had been enough to last a lifetime. For some reason, Fire Nation citizens had an obsession with putting fire flakes on _everything_. They drank more water in that one night than they usually did in a week, and unfortunately, that comparison also applied to their amount of bathroom trips.

He then sat down next to her, and they shared a comfortable silence for a while. Suddenly, Zuko turned to her, his voice carrying a thread of excitement.

"I'd like to show you something, if you're up for it."

She looked at him curiously, "Okay… do I get a hint as to what we'll be doing?"

"Nope," a mischievous grin stole onto his lips as he stood up, "It's a surprise."

Katara's heart gave a little flutter at his smile, "Will I like this surprise?"

"You will, I promise," he answered mysteriously, and then offered her his hand.

Katara gladly took it, and without saying another word, Zuko began leading her further down the beach, with them still holding hands. Their hands seemed to fit so perfectly together, with her small, smooth fingers tightly linked with his strong, calloused fingers. And so hot… was there ever a time when the firebender didn't feel like he was burning up?

They had only been walking for a few minutes before Katara noticed that the moonlit surroundings began to change. The sandy beach soon changed to smooth rock, and the terrain drastically rose up to meet the sheer cliff that made up part of the caldera's walls. Katara was just beginning to wonder how if they were going to be able to continue at all when Zuko guided her along the water's edge, skirting the edge of the rock. _Where are we going?_ She thought for what must have been the thousandth time. _Ugh, the suspense is starting to drive me crazy!_

Katara had just made up her mind to demand an answer, when they suddenly came around a corner, and a large cave loomed in front of them. Maybe it was just because it was nighttime, but it looked very creepy and foreboding, and not at all what she had expected.

"Is _this_ the surprise?" she asked, her disbelief evident in her tone.

But he remained maddeningly aloof, "You'll see. Come on."

Without further explanation, he led them into the cave and made a flame over his free hand, to light their way forward. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, though, as if he had been here countless times before. This only fueled Katara's curiosity.

"So, does anyone else know about this place?"

She felt his hand tighten on hers ever so slightly, but his voice remained steady, "Just one other person. My sister."

"Azula?" Katara knew that his sister was something of a touchy subject with Zuko, but she wanted to know what link the two of them had with this place, "How did she find out about it?"

"She was the one who found this place. A very long time ago."

He was silent for a while, and so she thought that the matter had been dropped, but then his soft voice carried through the cave, "It was when we were both kids, back when we still played together… before we began hating each other…"

Zuko kept his focus on the way ahead as he explained, "We were supposed to stay within the palace, but Azula always got bored, so little by little, we began exploring the underground tunnels and catacombs underneath the palace. It's a vast, complicated maze that goes on for miles, and connects to all different parts of the island. We'd sneak out and explore little bits at a time, each time marking on our map where we had gone and what we had found. One day, we were in the tunnels longer than we should have, and I wanted to turn around, because I knew that our mother was probably starting to miss us, but Azula was determined to keep going. But it wasn't much longer before we found the cave, and as soon as we both saw it, we loved it."

They stopped moving as soon as Zuko finished speaking, but as Katara looked around, she could only darkness beyond the light of Zuko's flame.

"Now have we reached the surprise?" _Surely there's more it than this_.

He tsked at her, but she could see by the glow of his fire that he was teasing her, "So impatient. Now, close your eyes."

"Ooh, so dramatic," she answered him playfully, but after a moment, she did comply with his wishes.

Katara could tell that Zuko put out his flame, because soon the glow she had seen even with her eyes closed faded away. She then felt Zuko squeeze her hand, and he gently spoke to her.

"Okay. Open your eyes."

At her first look around, all she could see with darkness, but as her eyes became accustomed, she began to see things in the blackness around them, and she gasped.

"Welcome to the Cave of Emerald Lights."

The sight before her was stunning. What had been complete darkness moments before, was now filled with hundreds, no thousands, of green glowing orbs. The beautiful green points of light were scattered all across the walls and ceilings of the cave, giving the entire room an other-worldly glow. But its light dimmed in comparison with the cave's floor. A large pool of water covered most of the bottom of the cave, and its entire mass fluoresced green with the multitudes of lights that flooded its depths. There was something about this place… it felt so peaceful, and serene.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered in awe, and as she took in the sight before her, she realized something. All the glowing orbs, whether they were on the ceiling or in the water, were moving.

"What are those things? I've never seen a creature glow like that."

"I don't know if they have an official name, but we just called them 'glow bugs'." Some embarrassment seeped into his words, "I know, not the most original, but we were kids, after all."

But Katara didn't tease him, for she was still entranced by the scene before her. Zuko let her be for the moment, so she could take it all in. Katara walked to the edge of the glowing pool, and sank to her knees so she could get a better look at what lay before her. This close up, she could tell that the little balls of green light were insects, of every size and shape, that seemed to pulse as they swam and weaved within the crystal clear water. With so many pulses of light blinking to their own rhythm, it turned the pool into a sea of sparkling green.

"You can put your hand in it, if you want."

Katara looked at him questioningly, and he guessed what was on her mind, "They won't hurt you. We used to do it all the time."

Still a little hesitant, Katara slowly moved her hand over the water, and then eased it in. The water was cold, but not unpleasantly so, and she noticed as she moved her hand through the water that she sent ripples of green light in its wake. Though the glow bugs had moved away at first, they were quickly returning to the area, and began to move right around her hand. Even though Katara had never been one to like insects, she didn't mind this at all, and in fact, she found them quite fascinating.

On a whim, Katara reached through her bending and scooped up a small sphere of the pool, and carefully drew it closer to her. It had several of the glow bugs in it, and she watched, mesmerized, as they seemed to dance within their glowing sphere. She looked over to Zuko, who had knelt down next to her, to gauge his reaction, when her breath caught.

The glow of the cave cast a soft hue on his fair skin, which only served to enhance his already handsome features. There was a beautiful smile on his face as he stared at her water sphere, but he must have noticed her staring because he turned and unabashedly met her gaze.

"So, do you like the surprise?" His eyes were searching her face, and he found the answer he was looking for before she even spoke.

"I love it. This place is really amazing," Katara blushed ever so slightly as she answered, a little self-conscious at being the complete focus of his attention. As she released the sphere back into the pool, she thought about this place and what it meant to him. The more she got to know Zuko, the more she realized that he really did have a romantic side, behind the walls he had erected around himself. Katara could tell, in the way he spoke and how he looked at her, that her happiness meant everything to him, and that realization was both humbling and gratifying.

"I'm glad," he said as he continued to lovingly admire her, and then he spoke so softly she almost didn't hear him, "you're so beautiful."

It was not the first time she had been told she was beautiful, but coming from Zuko, the words stirred a deeper emotional response that sent her nerves tingling.

"Zuko," Katara began, a touch of breathlessness in her voice, but she never got to finish. His lips crashed into hers, and instantly everything else flew out of her head. It was a sweet, wonderful rush that completely took her over. There was so much in his kiss, a softness that flowed with his affection, and a yearning that whispered of desire. She got caught up in its magic, and gladly gave herself over to its sweet embrace.

The kiss lasted for some time, and when Zuko finally pulled away, Katara sighed in contentment.

His smile was absolutely gorgeous, "I've been thinking about that all night long."

"Mmm," she was still savoring the taste of him on her lips, "and that was too long of a wait."

He chuckled, "I have to agree with you on that."

His hand moved and gently touched her arm, but he quickly removed it, and he sounded concerned, "Katara, are you cold? You have goose bumps all over your arm."

"Hmm?" The cave was a little cool, but it was not the source of her goose bumps, she noted dreamily. But before she had time to give him a proper reply, he began to take off his tunic, and she decided, right then and there, to not correct his misconception. He quickly wrapped the red and gold cloth around her shoulders, but she hardly noticed. He was distracting her, again. And right then she didn't care how ridiculous she was being.

"Come on," Zuko told her, "we should head back to the mouth of the cave."

Katara offered no protests, so he once again took her hand and lead her through the cave's paths, with his firebending to light the way. In no time at all, they were back at the mouth of the cave, but instead of heading out, Zuko started to walk along the walls and periodically squat down, as if he was searching for something. Finally, he stopped and grabbed several things out of a dark hollow along the wall, and headed back towards Katara. It looked like a bedroll and a few pieces of firewood, which he promptly deposited in the middle of the floor.

"Where did that come from?" there seemed to be no end to the mysteries this cave held.

He talked as he began his preparations, "Right before I joined you guys at the Western Air Temple, I spent several weeks at the royal palace. Whenever I wanted to get away and truly be alone, I would use the old passage I used as a boy to come here. Sometimes I would be out here for a while, so I brought some supplies with me."

Once the fire was going and his bedroll had been laid out, he sat down on top of it, and with a smile, motioned her to come sit next to him. Feeling particularly bold, Katara decided to sit in front of him, between his legs, and scooted back until she could snuggle against his bare chest. The move caught him off guard, but after a moment he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. That sat like that for a while, just breathing in each other's essence and savoring their closeness as they watched the fire flicker in front of them.

Zuko leaned back ever so slightly, and let out a small sigh, "You know, we really do need to talk...about us."

Katara heard the somber tone in his voice, and she turned in his arms to face him, a little worried about where this was going. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the doubt and uncertainty in his expression.

"Katara, part of me doesn't want this to end, but as the Fire Lord, I'm not sure-"

She quickly put a finger over his lips, to stop the words that she didn't want to hear. She already knew what he was going to say, for they had been the same words that had been whispered to her from the dark recesses of her mind. But she remembered her earlier conversation with Toph, and her mind was made up.

"Zuko, I know. I'm not sure how or if this will work out, or where our paths will take us, but for right now, I just want to take it one day at a time."

Katara could see the reservation in his eyes, but he nodded in understanding, "And the others?"

There was something that she couldn't afford to put off anymore, but she still did not look forward to it, "I will talk with Aang... I just need a little time, okay?"

"Whatever you need," he told her as he reached up and gently stroked her cheek.

Her pulse quickened at his touch, which was both delicate and probing. She was acutely aware of how intertwined their bodies were, with her practically sitting in his lap, and she suddenly got very hot. Shrugging his tunic off, she was suddenly very thankful that she had worn her fire nation outfit, and not only because it was cooler. She was pleased at how his eyes roamed over her exposed flesh, and on impulse, she threaded both her hands through the back of his hair, and gently pulled his head up to meet her gaze.

His beautiful, golden eyes seemed to peer into the depths of her soul, and the power of his emotions elated her. She had never felt so safe and relaxed before, and in that moment, Katara knew that she was falling for him, hard. She had never felt this deeply about someone before, and never had felt this complete. Just the thought of being without him made her ache.

Her gaze wandered from his eyes, taking pleasure in the shape of his nose, the strong set of his chin, and the fairness of his skin. She then focused on his scar, and she could feel him tense around her as he realized she was staring at it. Keeping a firm, yet soft grip on his hair, she leaned towards him until her lips hovered over his scar, and then, ever so slowly, she placed a gentle kiss on its rough surface. A small sigh escaped his lips, and his body relaxed once again. She continued to plant small kisses along his scar, but with each one, she came closer to his lips.

When she kissed the corner of his mouth, he leaned forward, trying to catch her lips, but she pulled back out of his reach, taking sudden delight in teasing him. Her playful gaze told him of her intentions, and his eyes seemed to smile in return. She closed the distance between them, and just before their lips touched, she lingered there, savoring the sensations of the moment while anticipating what was to come. But his frustration was palpable, and unable to stand it any longer, he let out something of a growl, and then seized her lips with his own.

The gentleness that had been present in his earlier kiss was now gone, replaced with a hunger and a need that sent a fire raging throughout her body. His arms tightened around her waist and pulled her closer as his kisses became faster, and deeper. She now had a death grip on his hair, but she was so consumed by her desires that her only thought was to crush his mouth even harder against hers. Their breathing became labored and now came in gulps between the pauses in their desperate kisses.

She slid her hands down to his bare chest, and abruptly broke away from his lips. Gently, but forcefully, she pushed him down onto his back, and moved her legs to either side of his hips, straddling him. With her heart pounding in her ears, she bent down over him, and placed a small kiss on his tight stomach. Her hands rose and fell on his chest with his heavy breathing, and she could feel his breath hitch as she again kissed him, only this time a few inches higher. She began traveling up his chest, trailing little kisses as she moved over his hard muscles. When she placed a kiss on his neck, he groaned, which sent her nerves into a frenzy.

Suddenly, he grabbed her waist with both his hands, and rolled them sideways, until she was underneath and the full length of him was pressed on top of her. With one of his arms to the side of her, to support his weight, he moved his other hand behind her head, to cradle it as he began to kiss the nape of her neck. A little moan escaped her lips.

The depth of her need for him both delighted and scared her at the same time. Spirits, he was so hot, and with every kiss it seemed her heart was pounding so hard it was going to burst. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps now, and her body was a sea of raging sensations. He moved his mouth behind her ear, and when he placed the smallest of kisses there, and she let out a gasp.

He abruptly raised himself up and pulled his head back so that he could once again meet her gaze. The power in his golden orbs held her there for an indescribable amount of time, and began to calm her raging emotions. When she saw the unchecked passion and desire for her in his eyes, her heart gave a little twist, and moisture began to gather in her eyes. She knew without a doubt, in that moment, that he needed her just as much as she needed him. It left her feeling completely vulnerable, in a way she had never experienced before. While the realization thrilled her, it also made her very afraid.

Zuko slowly leaned down over her, and gently kissed away the tears that began to fall down her face, before he again softly kissed her lips. "Katara, are you okay?" he asked, more than a little breathless.

"Hold me," she whispered to him. Without hesitating, he rolled back onto the bedroll and drew her tenderly to him. With her back pressed up his chest and stomach, she snuggled closer to him, and he draped his arm over her stomach, so that he could still hold her.

Katara fought to stay awake as long as possible. She wanted to continue to enjoy this moment, and relish his embrace, but soon her eyelids began to droop, and eventually she gave in to the fatigue. Her last thoughts, before she finally fell asleep, were of him.

* * *

I enjoyed planning a night of fun for the gang, and I thought some storytelling would be different. Zuko's story on the history of the first Fire Lord was my own invention - I'm fascinated with Fire Nation history and so this was my own take on some of it.

Update: I have recently posted a one-shot fic that is an AU ending of this chapter. I envisioned this chapter ending a couple of different ways, and it was really hard for me to decide which ending to actually publish in the story. At the end of this chapter, even though it gets steamy I ultimately chose for Zuko and Katara to slow down and focus on the emotional aspect of their relationship instead of the physical part...that being said, I often thought about it going the other way, so I've decided to put this in a one-shot called "The Cave of Emerald Lights", which I posted as a separate story that you can find on my author's page. So if you wanted the ending of this scene to keep going and get even steamier, I would suggest you check it out ;-)

Thanks!


	7. The Morning After

Zuko didn't know if he was still dreaming or if he was awake.

As he gradually emerged from his lingering dreams, he became pleasantly aware of a very warm and very soft body pressed closely against him. His awakening senses noted the feel of his arm as it firmly held her to him, and the shifting of their bodies as they moved to their breathing. The more he drank in her presence, the more he realized that this was real, and it wasn't just a dream.

A smile slowly spread over his face as he remembered what happened last night. It was truly amazing, being with Katara. The way she felt in his arms, the look in her eyes when she gazed at him...it was overwhelming. He had never cared for anyone before like he did for Katara, nor had he ever opened up so completely to someone.

The power and intensity of his emotions for her went far beyond that of a crush, but even as his mind hinted at what it meant, worry began to gnaw at him. Throughout his life, fate had conspired to take away those who had been close to him. First his mother, then Lu Ten, and even now, he didn't know if his uncle had made it through his conquest of Ba Sing Se. Just the thought of something happening to Katara made his stomach twist in fear and dread.

He forced himself to push away his dark thoughts, and brought his attention back to the present. Light was beginning to filter into the cave, and while Zuko knew they needed to leave, he didn't want to end this moment. So he laid there for a precious amount of time, simply content to hold Katara and breathe in her sweet scent.

It wasn't too much longer, however, before Katara began to stir in his arms. He heard her utter a small sigh of contentment as she stretched and pressed herself tighter to him in the process. Ever so slowly, so as not to startle her, Zuko leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her neck. That must have brought her fully awake, for she immediately turned and rolled towards him so that she could face him. A beautiful smile lit up her face, and he lost himself in the deep blue pools of her eyes.

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company, until Zuko finally spoke, his voice quiet, "Good morning."

Her smile widened even further. "Good morning, yourself."

"Did you sleep okay?"

She nodded, and then he watched as an adorable blush colored her cheeks, "Did you?"

"Never better," he replied sincerely.

She offered no resistance as he gently pulled her closer with the arm that was still wrapped around her waist. Her soft fingers lightly glided up his chest, and this time it was his turn to blush as he remembered particular details from last night. But all his thoughts vanished the instant her lips touched his. At that moment, there was only him, and her, and these feelings that spread over every part of him. It was a tender kiss, one that soothed him, yet sent his pulse racing at the same time.

Gradually their lips separated, but their faces remained almost touching as they lingered there, catching their breath. Her breath was warm against his skin, and its caress sent a shiver through him. He pulled away from her enough so that he could look into her eyes once again.

Her gaze then wandered from his eyes, and her brow suddenly furrowed in thought.

"Zuko, there's something I wanted to ask you about, but if you don't want to talk about it, I'd understand."

A little surprised at the turn of conversation, he nonetheless complied, "Okay, ask."

She still seemed a little hesitant, "Last night you mentioned how you and your sister used to be close. But from what I've seen of Azula, she seems to hate you and wants to get rid of you more than anyone."

He averted his gaze and stared off into the distance, "I've never really talked about it before. It's...complicated."

Katara didn't say anything, so he began to explain. "When both Azula and I were really little, our mother always encouraged us to play together, and at the time we didn't have any other friends, so we were always together. Even as we got a little older, we may have teased each other and got into little arguments, but we still had a close relationship. That was around the time we began exploring the underground catacombs, and found the Cave of Emerald Lights."

He stole a quick glance at Katara and saw that she smiling, and he could guess what she was thinking. A little smile crept onto his face as he thought again about last night, but when he remembered the next part of his story, it disappeared.

Sighing, he continued. "When our father and mother found out about our little escapades, they were very upset. My mother was upset because she thought what we were doing was too dangerous and we could hurt ourselves. Our father was upset because he considered it a waste of time and energy. Azula had already started to exhibit firebending at that point, so Ozai decided it was time to take a personal "interest" in her training. From that day forward, he would spend several hours each day with Azula, teaching her firebending and other suitable skills. And that was when Azula began to change."

He felt a wave of sadness come over him, but he pushed through it. "My father had always preferred Azula over me. I had always been considered too weak, whether it was physically, emotionally, or in regards to my bending. So when Azula started firebending even before I did, my father began to think of me as a failure. It was soon after my father and sister began training together that the rift between Azula and I began to grow, and she began to see me in the same light as my father."

"All that time, I thought my father was just teaching Azula firebending skills, but now I realize his goals were much more insidious than that. He forced his own twisted beliefs and views onto her, and taught her to be cold, calculating, and manipulative. He instilled in her an unwavering loyalty to him and the desire to please him above all else. In essence, he turned his own daughter into a tool for him to use as he pleased."

He felt Katara's hand brush the side of his face, and when he turned back towards her, he could see both sadness and anger playing across her features, "I had no idea. How could your father have done that to his own child?"

"My father had always been a little cold and distant, but when he became Fire Lord, he became even more so. Everything, including me and my sister, were only a means to an end."

"I have to admit," he dropped his gaze as he confessed to her, "I do sometimes get jealous when I see you and Sokka around each other. I can tell that you love each other, and you look out for one another. I think Azula and I could have been like that, if we had been given the chance."

She gently tilted his face up and gave him a quick and gentle kiss, "Well, I do know one thing. You are part of our family now, and you can count on every one of us to be there for you."

"We are an odd sort of family, aren't we?" he grinned, "Made up of runaways and misfits."

She shot him a look, "And exactly who are referring to as the 'misfits'?"

"I'm going to go with the safe answer, and say your brother."

She laughed a little at that, "I won't argue with you on that one. Just don't let Sokka hear you say that."

"Please, your brother doesn't scare me one bit."

"You say that, but you haven't seen Sokka when he's in the middle of one of his rampages. It's not a pretty picture, especially when it involves a lack of sleep and food. Or if he found out that a certain firebender was making out with his little sister."

He really did love that smile of hers, and he was beginning to think that he would do anything just to see it. "I think that's a risk I'm willing to take."

Leaning forward, he then planted a soft kiss on her nose. "Speaking of your brother...we need to head back to the campsite, preferably before we are missed."

A grimace appeared on her face at his words, and her disappointment was obvious, but she knew why they couldn't dally. "I know. I guess I was just hoping for a little more time."

"Me too," he replied as he then went to cup the side of her face with his hand, "But there will be other times. I promise."

Her smile made it all worthwhile. "I'll remember you said that."

He returned her smile, and then reluctantly let her go as they stood up and put away the few supplies. With a reluctant last look back at the cave, they left and headed back to the campsite to rejoin their friends.

It was just after sunrise when they reached the others, so Zuko wasn't surprised to find that everyone was still sleeping on their bedrolls. Zuko had always risen with the sun, even when he was really little, but to the rest of the group, it was a foreign concept. Especially after a night that involved Toph's little "surprise".

Zuko and Katara quietly agreed to the let the others sleep some more, so they went to the old camp fire just a short ways away and began fixing a simple vegetable soup from the leftover feast. They fell into a comfortable routine as they prepared and cooked their small meal together, and Zuko found his mind drifting back to his uncle. He hoped everything was going well in Ba Sing Se.

Some of his thoughts must have shown on his face, because after Katara glanced at him, she asked, "What's the matter?"

He shook himself out of his musings. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

"It was more than that," she answered knowingly, and then gave him a patronizing poke in his side with her finger, "You were worrying, weren't you?" Zuko opened his mouth to disagree with her, but she beat him to it, "And don't try to deny it."

With a heavy sigh, he relented. "I was just thinking about my uncle. I hope he's alright."

Katara's mouth immediately twisted up into a smile. "Now that's something you really shouldn't worry about. Iroh is a master firebender, and he's with the best bending and sword masters in the world. If anything, I'd be more worried about whoever was foolish enough to oppose their group, than your uncle and his friends."

Her words made him grin, despite himself. _How does she always manage to make me smile and laugh, even when I'm at my gloomiest?_

"Yeah, I know. I just really miss him," Zuko looked down at his hands as he pictured Iroh, "For the last several years, he spent every day by my side, and was always there for me. It was something I took for granted." He felt her hand on his arm, and when he met her gaze, it was filled with caring and warm affection.

"You'll see him soon, Zuko. You know where he is."

His eyes held hers for a moment longer, and then turned his attention back to the fire, unwilling to voice the rest of his thoughts. _Yes, I do. But I can't just pick up and go whenever I want to anymore. I have responsibilities now, for good or for ill._

"Hey, guys."

Zuko looked up to see Suki approaching the two of them. There was a small smile on her face, despite how tired she looked.

"It's a good thing you two are fully awake and functional. I don't know what I'd do if I had to survive on Sokka's scavenging skills for my meal today... or any day, for that matter."

"You'd probably starve," Zuko somberly agreed with her. "I've seen Sokka try to hunt. But on the bright side, at least you'd be entertained the whole time."

"Hey," Katara stuck up for her brother, "Sokka hunted for us all the time back at our village. Give him some credit."

He gave her a skeptical look, "And how often was he actually successful?"

She was quiet for a moment, "That depends. Do the times when the fish accidently jumped in the boat count?"

Suki giggled while Zuko just rolled his eyes, "Just forget I mentioned it. Anyways, I think our soup is ready."

As the self-proclaimed cook of the group, Katara made sure to check their food, and once it got her approval, the three of them dug in. Not much was said during their short breakfast, although Suki did keep giving both Zuko and Katara suspicious glances, which both of them studiously ignored. The three of them had just finished eating and were cleaning up after themselves, when they heard someone approaching.

They were a little surprised, and amused, to see that it was Aang. It only took one quick glance to tell that the kid was clearly suffering from a hangover. His face was drawn and haggard, his eyes were dark and squinted, and all of his normal spunk and cheerfulness was completely gone.

When Aang got closer, Katara smiled at him. "Good morning, Aang."

As soon as Katara started speaking, Aang clutched the side of his head, as if it were about to split open, and croaked, "Ow! Not so loud, please. It feels like a whole group of hog-monkeys are using my head as a drum."

Zuko couldn't help but feel sympathetic for his young friend. "Rough night, huh?"

"I'm never drinking, ever again," Aang proclaimed in a fervent voice, and the rest of them chuckled despite themselves.

Suki grinned. "That's what everyone says after the first time. Just you wait."

"No, I mean it," he replied, "Once in a lifetime is enough for me."

"Oh, lay off him, guys," Katara gently chided Zuko and Suki, and then turned to Aang, "Did you want some soup Aang?"

Aang eagerly nodded, and then immediately winced at the action and grabbed his head once again, "Yes, thanks."

Once Aang had gotten his soup and carefully began to eat, Zuko addressed Katara and Suki, "We need to see if we can get the other two up and going, as well."

"Ha!" Suki interjected, "You're going to have to pull off some kind of amazing feat to get that to happen."

"You're probably right," Katara agreed, "but, regardless, I think we should give it a try."

They went to wake Toph up first, but, just as Suki had predicted, the task proved to be impossible. The only thing their attempts accomplished was to elicit some groans and unintelligible grumbles from the partially comatose earthbender. Zuko even went as far as to try to tickle Toph out of her slumber, but he nearly got his foot taken off in the process as the half asleep earthbender made a crude rock tent around herself.

Admitting temporary defeat, they then moved on to Sokka, who was, at that moment, sprawled out on his bedroll, half-way laying on the ground, with his mouth hanging open, and slightly drooling.

Suki just shook her head at the sight as she bent down over him, and tried to shake him awake, "C'mon, Sokka. It's time to get up."

Something of a snort came from Sokka and his mouth snapped shut. Without opening his eyes, he started to toss and turn, while mumbling something in his sleep, "...call me Sokka...water tribe... I am not an oaf."

Katara, Suki, and Zuko all looked at each other with puzzled expressions, and it was Suki that asked, "Um... do you guys know what that was about?"

"No clue," Katara answered, then she bent over Sokka this time to try to rouse him, "Sokka, wake up! Snap out of it."

Sokka, however, was still in his dream, and he suddenly groaned. "No! Haiku... too many syllables..."

After an awkward pause, Zuko quirked an eyebrow at Katara, "Since when did your brother get into poetry?"

Katara shrugged, "With Sokka? Who knows...Here, I know what will wake him up. Stand back."

Suki and Zuko complied and watched as Katara gathered some water and hung it directly above Sokka's head. When she was satisfied with the amount, she let it drop, with successful, albeit hilarious, results. With a gasp, Sokka opened his eyes and practically jumped off his bedroll. However, since he was still half-asleep and with a not-quite-fully-healed leg, he ended up tripping and tumbling into Katara, and the two of them went down in a heap.

"Ugh! Get off me, Sokka!" Katara yelled as she tried to get out from underneath her brother. As Sokka tried to untangle himself, his face was mixed with confusion and anger.

"What the hell is going-" he suddenly stopped mid-sentence and winced in pain, "Ah, my head... it's pounding."

Katara stood up in a huff and glared at him. "Hmm. Serves you right, for acting like a fool last night."

Sokka chose to ignore that comment, and instead surveyed his damp clothes and squinted at the rest of them, "And why am I the only one who's wet?"

Suki moved a hand over her mouth, to hide her smirk. "Well, we tried to wake you up without it, but you just kept on sleeping."

The two siblings were still glaring at each other as Zuko came up to Sokka and offered him a hand up. The other teenager grasped his hand and let himself be pulled up, but didn't release Zuko's hand right away as he wobbled unsteadily on his good leg for a few seconds. After he steadied himself, he directed his squinty-eyed gaze back to Katara.

"You know," he began grumpily, but this time his voice was noticeably quieter, "that little trick of yours if getting really old, Katara. Now if you don't mind?"

Sokka gestured to his soaking clothes and gave Katara a meaningful look, but she didn't move.

"Why should I? Maybe I should just leave you like that, to teach you a lesson."

He growled, "Katara-"

Zuko then spoke up, in an attempt to forestall a prolonged sibling argument. "Just give in, Katara. If you don't, we'll just hear him complain about it all day long."

She gave him a sharp look, but then turned her attention back to Sokka, "Fine."

With a quick sweep of her hands, all the water collected and suddenly left Sokka's clothes in a rush, leaving him completely dry. Suki then came over to Sokka and engulfed him in a hug, which immediately erased the frown on his face.

Suki then let go of him and smiled, "Much better now?"

"My head is still throbbing like crazy," he replied as he rubbed his forehead, "and I'm really, really thirsty."

He then grabbed his stomach and grimaced, "And I feel like I haven't eaten in a week. I need some seaweed soup."

Both Suki and Zuko made a face at his suggestion, while Katara merely crossed her arms. "We made vegetable soup this morning, so you'll have to make do with that."

Sokka frowned, "But I want seaweed soup."

"And I said we don't have seaweed soup," she stubbornly answered, "You'll have to eat what we have."

"But seaweed soup is the only thing that cures my hangovers."

"Sokka, you've never had a hangover before."

"Of course I have," Sokka puffed out his chest, "A warrior of my stature gets treated with victory celebrations and toasts all the time."

Katara gave him a patronizing look. "Sokka, I've been with you practically every day of your life and I've never seen you drink before. And that time you sneaked a sip of wine at the Earth King's party doesn't count."

But Sokka didn't let that fact deter him. "Never mind, that. Dad always said to eat seaweed soup the morning after, and that's what I want."

Katara sighed. "Even if I wanted to make you your stupid soup, which I am not saying I do, I don't have all the ingredients for it."

"We could go make a quick trip and get it," Suki suggested diplomatically, "It shouldn't take that long."

"We'd probably have to go to Harbor City to find what you're looking for," Zuko told the others, "It has a huge market square that has foods from all over the four nations. It's further down along the beach, but with Appa we'd get there pretty quick."

"Ooh, a shopping trip!" Suki excitedly exclaimed, at which Sokka winced.

"Agh! Quiet voices, please?"

Suki's expression was apologetic, "Oh, sorry, sweetie."

"It's okay. It's nothing a little seaweed soup can't fix. Right, Katara?" Sokka turned his pleading gaze back to his sister.

Katara remained silent for a moment, before she irritably replied, "Maybe if you _ask_ nicely, I'll consider it."

Zuko cleared his throat. "I think I should mention, first, that Harbor City isn't exactly the nicest place to visit. Some parts of the city can get pretty dirty and rough, if you know what I mean."

"I think we can handle rough," Katara told him dryly, "It hasn't always been pleasant joy rides and fine dining cities since we left the South Pole, you know.

He supposed he had warranted that comment. "Okay, point taken."

Sokka chimed in, "Yeah, the only thing you'll have to worry about is Katara nagging someone to death." When Katara glared daggers at him and began to open her mouth to retort, Sokka held up his hands to stop her. "I'm just kidding, sis. But seriously, when you guys go, I need some more fire gummies."

"And we could do with some clothes shopping, too," Suki added, her voice tinged with excitement.

Katara sighed, "Fine, we'll go. But what about Aang?"

"Knowing how he's feeling, he'll probably want to stay," Zuko told her, "Sokka, Aang, and Toph will be fine here."

He then directed a pointed look at Suki, "Because this will be a short trip, right?"

Suki took the hint and smiled, "Right, just a few supplies and a couple clothes stops. Shouldn't take too long."

"Alright, let's go tell Aang,"

With Katara's announcement, they headed back to the campfire. Soon enough, Zuko, Katara, and Suki were headed to Harbor City.

* * *

I've always been fascinated by Zuko and Azula's relationship as brother and sister. It seemed so crazy to me that they hated each other so much as to be considered bitter enemies (most of the time). This made me start to wonder about their relationship when they were very little, if they were ever close to each other and how they could have drifted so far apart. Personally, I think when they were very little they probably would have spent more time with Ursa, and due to her warm, caring influence Zuko and Azula would have had a loving relationship. As they got older, Ozai would have started to take more of an interest in them, especially when it came to their bending abilities. We know that Azula, even though she was younger, was considered "a better firebender" than Zuko. I would have to imagine that meant Ozai took a special interest in her, which would mean the more time Azula spent as a child with Ozai the more likely it was for her to get warped by the same twisted morals he exhibited. Azula herself hasn't appeared very much in my story yet. I do plan on her making an appearance and playing an important role in the story, but it won't be until closer to the end.


	8. Who Said Shopping Was Boring?

Although Zuko hadn't announced his presence as they traveled through Harbor City, he hadn't tried to hide it either. The reactions that he received from people, if and when they had realized who he was, had been wide and varied. Many of the citizens had been respectful and kind to him and his friends, and even showed their relief and gratitude concerning his coronation announcement. There had been some, however, who had still looked at him with distrust and even disdain in their eyes, and while this disappointed Zuko, he still tried to respect them and their opinions. Unlike his father or sister, he didn't believe it was a crime if someone didn't like him.

There had been one particular incident, though, that stuck in Zuko's mind. Zuko, Katara, and Suki had stepped into a smaller shop along the street, to buy some of Sokka's fire gummies, when a middle-aged man with dark hair and grey eyes had come out to meet them. The man had seemed normal enough, but there was something in the way his eyes had darted around and gauged things that had made Zuko a little wary. When the shopkeeper had noticed Zuko's scar, there had been such dislike in his features that it had bordered on hatred. Needless to say, they had left the shop in a hurry, and Zuko had practically felt the man's eyes boring into him as he walked out of the door.

Something about the whole encounter still bothered Zuko, and he tried to tell himself it wasn't just because the man didn't like him. He had gotten that reaction hundreds of times while he was banished, and he had gotten used to dealing with it, in a way. No, this instance was different. It was almost like there had been something shady or suspicious about the man, something that gave Zuko an off feeling about him. But then, that shouldn't have surprised him. This was Harbor City, after all. He hadn't lied to the others when he had told them it could get very grimy and rough here.

An outburst of giggling brought Zuko's attention back to the fore, and when he looked up to see the source, he found several girls staring at him. They quickly looked away, but not before either smiling shyly at him or erupting into more giggles, which only served to confound Zuko even further. These kinds of stares and reactions were something that Zuko was not used to dealing with, and quite frankly, he didn't know what to do about it.

At the moment, he was standing in the front room of a nice-enough looking clothing shop, with the food and ingredients they needed in a sack tied and slung across his back. Suki and Katara had gone into the back room to try on some clothes on, which left Zuko all alone in the front. Normally, he wouldn't have minded this, except that the front room of this particular shop happened to be filled with several girls and woman of various ages, all of which were surreptitiously staring at him. Whether they were staring at him because he was the only man in the place, or because they had found out he was the Fire Prince, he wasn't sure. Either way, it was making him extremely uncomfortable, and Zuko was itching to leave the place. _Katara and Suki should have been finished by now. What in Agni's name is taking them so long?_

He had just decided to go ask the shopkeeper where they could be, when a group of girls around his age started walking towards him, their attention focused on him. Zuko tried to ignore them, in the hopes they that they would walk by him, but he had no such luck.

One of the three girls, who had long, black hair, offered him a small smile, and bowed her head in greeting, "Prince Zuko...may we ask you something?"

Zuko's mind had already worked out a few escape scenarios, most of which either involved running or diving under nearby tables, but seeing as how that would be seen as either cowardly or just plain rude, he reluctantly decided to hold his ground, for the moment.

"Uh, sure. I guess."

For some strange reason, this response produced a burst of giggles from all three girls. Zuko had to struggle to suppress a they had collected themselves, they then took turns asking him questions, in very rushed and high-pitched voices.

"So, is it true that you're going to be the new Fire Lord?"

"And did you really defeat both Ozai and Azula single-handedly?"

Zuko took a deep breath, and tried to explain patiently, "Yes, I'm going to be the new Fire Lord, and no, I didn't defeat Ozai and Azula by myself. It was the Avatar who stopped Ozai, and I had help with my sister."

One of girls with short, dark hair batted her eyelashes at him. "But I'm sure you could have done it all yourself. They say you're a very powerful firebender."

He was about to protest, when in unison the three girls stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Now slightly panicking, Zuko took a couple steps back, only to come up against a wall. As the girls continued towards him, he realized he was trapped.

"So, how long will you be staying in the city, Prince Zuko?" This time it was the girl with the long black hair that spoke, and when she finished, she placed her hand on his forearm, making him flinch.

"I..uh..." _Where in the HELL are Katara and Suki?_

Right on cue, Zuko heard someone clear their throat very purposely and loudly right behind the group of girls. When the girls turned and parted, he saw, much to his relief, that it was Katara, but her attention was completely focused on the group in front of her. If looks could kill, the stare that Katara directed at the three girls should have struck them dead on the spot.

Katara's voice was low and serious. " _We_ were just fixing to go. So you can leave." The long-haired girl opened her mouth to speak, but Katara narrowed her eyes at her and practically hissed, " _Now_."

Varied expressions of shock and indignation appeared over their faces, but one good look at Katara's expression made up their minds for them. The three girls quickly left in a huff, but Katara didn't take her eyes off of them until they had all walked out the door.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Zuko stepped closer to Katara. "I'm so glad you showed up. I don't know what I would have done-"

"Care to explain that little exchange?" she cut him off, and though she didn't raise her voice, he could tell she was somewhat upset, which confused him.

"They just came up and started talking to me while I was waiting. I didn't really have a choice in the matter."

"Oh really? Then how do you explain Little Miss Touchy-Feely?"

"It's not what you-" Zuko stopped in mid-sentence when the realization hit him. It wasn't anger that he was sensing in Katara's voice and expression, it was jealousy. He had seen Katara angry before, and even hurt and betrayed, but never jealous. Now that he realized the source of her discontent, it almost seemed kinda...cute.

"It's not what?" she asked as she continued to scowl at him.

"Katara," he began, and he moved to place his hand on her arm but she shrugged it off. "Just listen to me, please," he told her gently. "They just happened to corner me while asking me some questions. Honestly, the whole time I was just trying to think of a way to get rid of them, and find you and Suki."

Her scowl lightened a little, and this time when he went to place his hand on her arm, she let him, "Really?"

"Really," he answered, and then he smiled, "Besides, they were way too giggly and whimsical for my tastes. At one point, I was seriously considering trying out one of Ty Lee's moves on them, just so I could escape."

"That bad, huh?"

"It was painful, believe me."

Finally a small smile appeared on her face, and he instantly felt lighter. He wanted to continue their conversation, but then Suki approached them.

"I got everything taken care of with the shopkeeper... wait, is everything okay?" Suki stopped and eyed them questioningly.

Katara and Zuko shared a quick smile before Katara turned back to her friend, "We're fine."

"We've got everything we came for," Zuko became serious again, "so we should head back to Appa."

Both girls reluctantly agreed, so the three of them exited the stop and proceeded to make their way down the market and head towards the edge of the city. Suki and Katara started chatting again as they walked down the busy street, but Zuko was too distracted to pay attention to their conversation. Something about the earlier incident with the shopkeeper still had him on edge, making him keep a sharp lookout on their surroundings. Falling back into his habits he had picked up traveling the Earth Kingdom incognito, he began to discreetly study the people around them as they continued to walk. At one point, Suki and Katara had stopped at a cart to check out some wares before moving on again. When Zuko had looked where they had come from, a man dressed in dark clothes a little distance behind them immediately caught his attention.

Trying to act normal, Zuko turned to one of the merchant carts near him, and told Katara and Suki, "Hey, I want to check this out."

He kept his head down as he stepped closer to the cart, so the owner, an older woman with grey-streaked hair, didn't recognize him.

"How can I help you, sir?"

"I'd like to look a little bit, if that's alright," he replied as he pretended to study her wares. Zuko nodded and feigned interest while the woman spoke to him about her merchandise, but his real attention was directed at the flow of people coming towards him, and centered on one suspicious figure in particular.

"Since when did you become so interested in charms, or jewelry for that matter?"

Katara's voice brought Zuko's attention back to the scene in front of him, and he realized, with some embarrassment, that he was staring at little metal charms that went on bracelets or necklaces. _Why couldn't I have stopped at a weapon stand instead? That's just my luck._

"Perhaps it's a secret hobby of his," Suki teased Zuko, but he didn't rise to her bait. Part of his mind was elsewhere, focused on the problem at hand.

"Well, are you going to buy something, or just stand there staring all day?"

Irritation had entered the merchant's voice, and Zuko realized that he had been there for a little while now. He should probably buy something, or else it would look suspicious for anyone watching them.

Not really caring what he bought, he pointed at the first thing that caught his attention, a little figure of a dragon, "I'll take that."

The woman, a little taken aback at his sudden decision, named her price. Without hesitating, Zuko handed over some coins. Tucking the little charm in his money purse, he turned away from the cart and once again headed down the same direction of the street. When the other two caught up with him, they gave him quizzical stares.

"Okay, even I admit that was a little weird," The look Suki gave him suggested that she was doubting his sanity at the moment.

"I needed to prove something. The merchant was just a convenient cover."

"Needed to prove what?" Katara asked him.

"That we're being followed."

Both of them began to turn behind them to see for themselves, but Zuko's words stopped them. "Don't turn around."

He then elaborated. "I think he's been tailing us for a while now. But I wanted to make sure, so I stopped at the little shop. The man stopped as soon as we did, and kept looking at us the whole time we were there. He's following us again now."

"Do you think it's more than one of them?" Suki asked thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure. So far, I think it's just the one."

"So what now?" Katara's voice was steady, something for which Zuko was grateful for.

"We could try to lose them," Suki suggested, and he nodded.

"I think I know a different route we can take to get to Appa. We might be able to shake him once we get off this street."

The route he spoke off was just a little further down the way, so in a few minutes they had turned off of the main thoroughfare, and down one of the smaller side streets. Neither Katara nor Suki said anything as they followed him through the backstreets of the city, implicitly trusting in where he was leading them. It had been a while since Zuko had been in this part of Harbor City, so he could only hope that their trust was well placed.

As they neared the edge of the city, the buildings along their path became taller and wider, signaling that they had entered the industrial sector of Harbor City. The small side street they were on suddenly opened up into a large open area that was positioned between two large factory buildings. Since Zuko could see the street pick up on the other side of the courtyard, he didn't hesitate in leading straight for it. When they had gotten about halfway across, shapes began to emerge ahead of them, and when Zuko realized what they were, he stopped.

"What is-" he heard Suki begin to ask, but she stopped when she recognized what was in front of them.

There were three people now standing several feet away from them, blocking their path. Just by looking at their stances, Zuko could tell that they meant trouble. Each one was dressed in plain, black tunic and pants, which probably meant they belonged to a local gang or mercenary group. Either way, it meant that he had little or no chance to talk his way out of this one. He turned around to head back where they came, but there were already another three figures that stood blocking that path as well.

"Okay, so what are we going to do now?" Suki asked calmly.

Zuko was just asking himself that same question. "Right now, I'm open for suggestions."

Katara came and stood right next to him, "Should we find out what they want first?"

"I think I may already know the answer to that." When Katara and Suki both glanced at him, he read the unspoken question in their eyes. "I have a feeling they're here for me."

"Not if I have anything to do about it," Katara quickly replied, and Zuko could see the fierce determination in her eyes.

"Count me in too," Suki's expression showed the same courage and fearlessness, and Zuko was very glad at that moment to have two friends by his side.

As the two groups began to close in, Zuko assessed their situation. If these people didn't let them pass, they would have to force their way out. Their fighting capabilities, however, would be limited, since Suki hadn't brought any weapons with her, and Katara only had the small amount of water that she had in her pouch at her waist. When both groups were still several feet away, they abruptly stopped.

The figure in the middle, a dark complexioned man who wore personal armor of black and blue, finally addressed them, "Your journey stops here, Prince Zuko. You're a marked man."

 _Assassins, just as I had expected. I know they probably won't listen to reason, but I have to try._ "If you're trying to collect the reward set by my father, you're out of luck. Ozai has been defeated and is now my prisoner. I will be the new Fire Lord. Walk away now, and we can forget all about this."

As Zuko was talking, he saw, out of the corner of his vision, Suki drop into a fighting stance while Katara drew the water from her pouch and formed her water tentacles. The man, however, seemed unconcerned by their action.

His eyes were black as charcoal, and they never wavered. "You are mistaken, Young Prince. We are not here because of your father. Our client just recently hired us to take care of you and the water tribe girl. Permanently."

Zuko felt like all the air had just been sucked out of him. The knowledge that an assassin was after him did not surprise him. He knew that he still had a lot of enemies out there, enemies who didn't want him as the next Fire Lord. But the thought that someone was specifically targeting Katara completely caught him of guard, and filled him with dread and worry. _Why are they after Katara? That doesn't make sense._

The man then directed a quick glance at Suki, "The other girl we have no interest in, but if she gets in the way, we will not hesitate to kill her as well."

Suki's voice was low and filled with anger. "You're sadly mistaken if you think I'm going to let you hurt my friends."

"So be it," the man shrugged, and the action drew Zuko's attention to something tattooed on his neck. It looked like a thick, upside down 'v' with an enclosed circle around it. When he looked at the other assassins, he noticed that every one of them had the same tattoo on the exact place as the first man. But Zuko didn't get a chance to digest this information, for at that moment, the man made a simple gesture, and each one of the assassin moved to attack.

The man that Zuko assumed was the lead assassin made a large stream of fire, which the two assassins next to him duplicated and aimed at Zuko and his friends. As Zuko created his own wall of fire to deflect their attacks, he caught a glimpse of Katara creating an ice shield to block the other three firebenders that had been positioned themselves behind them.

As soon as Zuko and Katara had blocked their attacks, they went on the offensive, with Katara rapidly lashing her water whips at her opponents while he executed a series of punches and kicks that sent a chain of blasts towards the men in front of him. Each one of his attacks was deflected, and then Zuko went on the defensive again as his opponents unleashed another round of attacks. Zuko had practiced taking on multiple firebenders at the same time before, but they had been firebenders of average skill. After just exchanging a few blows, Zuko could tell these firebenders were highly skilled and trained, and it was taking all of Zuko's concentration and effort to match them. They worked as an efficient team, staggering their attacks in an attempt to catch him off guard, and fanning out in order to make him cover a larger area.

Zuko took a split second to look for Katara and Suki. While he didn't see Suki, he saw Katara still fighting the other three, and it looked like she was in the same position as he was. He suddenly felt something hot coming towards him, and it was thanks to his quick reflexes that he was able to roll out of the way of a large blast aimed at his head. When he stood up, he suddenly came back-to-back with Katara.

"Where's Suki?" she managed to ask him as their enemies began to reposition themselves around the two of them.

"I don't know, I thought she was with you," Zuko answered in a rush, and then he was forced to defend again as more attacks were hurled at him.

Then, out of nowhere, one of the firebenders directly in front of Zuko jerked in a spasm and dropped to the ground, revealing Suki, who had snuck up behind him. She then immediately turned to her closest opponent, who happened to be the lead assassin. The man in black and blue armor had barely turned to face her when she began to engage him in hand-to-hand combat.

In those precious few moments when the rest of their opponents were caught off guard, Zuko yelled at Katara, "Now!"

The two of them created their respective element whips at the same time, and aimed them at the remaining four assassins, throwing them all backwards. They quickly turned back to see Suki and the lead assassin still locked in their own battle. Suki had managed to put the man in a grapple hold from behind him, and he struggled to break her grip. When he realized he couldn't easily overcome her, his hand reached down to his belt and yanked out a knife.

The sound of steel leaving its sheath gave Suki the warning to let him go, but while she was still within his reach, the man twisted and slashed at her midriff. Before the assassin could take another step, Katara lashed out with her water whip and struck him on the side of the head, instantly knocking him out. Zuko and Katara rushed over to Suki, who was holding her side, with a worried expression on her face.

"Suki, are you okay?" Katara's voice was anxious as she removed Suki's hands and tried to look at her injury.

"I'm fine," Suki put on a brave face. "It isn't deep at all, it's just a cut. But I think the blade was coated with something. That whole area is going numb."

"Let me see what I can do," Katara started to make a water glove to heal her, but Zuko put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.

"Look, I know that Suki needs healing, but we have to go, now. Our 'friends' are going to be up and ready for another fighting match any second."

He could tell that Katara didn't like not being able to heal Suki right away, but she nodded her agreement. With Zuko supporting Suki on her injured side, they hurried as best they could to the way out in front of them. Their progress, however, was soon impeded.

Out of nowhere, another assassin landed on the path ahead of them, once again blocking their way. This man wore a very elaborate and expensive armor, and something in the way he carried himself hinted at the fact that this was the group's leader. The man had fair skin and black hair similar to Zuko's, and when his gold eyes locked on him, he gave a slight smile.

"Prince Zuko," the man's voice was quiet but self-assured, "your reputation precedes you. I have to admit, I will enjoy finishing you and your companions off."

Footsteps approaching from behind warned Zuko that the other four had finally caught up to them. He turned himself and Suki to the side and took a few steps back, so that he could keep them all in his vision, and make it harder for them to surround him. Their situation was looking pretty dire, but Zuko tried to remain calm and keep a level head. He had to think of a way to get them all out of here. _I have to protect Katara and Suki. I'm the one who got us into this situation._

The leader and the other assassins began to step into their firebending stances, and Zuko called out to Katara, "Help Suki!"

At his words, Katara came and took Suki's side while Zuko placed himself in front of the two of them, and not a moment too soon. He hastily created a wall of flame between them, just in time to deflect several blasts of fire. Before the last fire blast had dissipated, Zuko's arms were once again fluidly moving, and this time he formed his fire into an arc, which continued to grow as it raced towards his opponents. The leader then created his own wall of fire, and duplicated Zuko's defense, effectively blocking his attack.

Zuko realized that this was getting them nowhere. He had to do something drastic, and end this sooner rather than later.

Katara must have been thinking the same thing, for she whispered, "They keep blocking every attack. What should we do?"

Her words triggered something in his thoughts, and he suddenly realized what he had to do, "Then we have to fight them with something they can't block."

He turned to stare into her deep blue eyes, and he offered a prayer to Agni that his plan would work. "When I tell you to, I want you and Suki to veer to the right and head straight for the path ahead. I'll take care of the four on the left, you take the leader on the right. Got it?"

When she nodded, he took a deep breath and shifted into a wider stance. "Alright then, stand back."

The leader called out to Zuko, "You have shown yourself to be a talented firebender, Prince Zuko, but now we end this."

Zuko, however, ignored the man and his words, and focused on stilling his mind. As he had done in the prison yard, he sought out the calm center of his firebending and reached for the positive and negative energies that lay at its core. Ever so gently, he guided the two halves of energy back together, and in that split second, the lightning was born.

Sweeping his arm up in a wide arc, the lightning came alive with a crack and hiss as it started to snake around his arm. The lightning grew ever brighter and the cracks louder as Zuko continued to gather and guide it, creating a terrible but beautiful web of blue-white energy, with him at the epicenter. He then pointed his fingers left towards the other four men, many of whom now wore expressions of shock or fear, and took another deep breath.

"Now, Katara!"

Just as Katara began to move, Zuko released the lightning. With a tremendous flash and a thud, it hit the ground just ahead of the assassins. The impact ripped into the earth and sent everything near it flying, but Zuko was already scrambling after Katara and Suki. The leader had thrown his arms up in front of himself for protection, and now brought them back down as he steadied himself. When he saw Katara and Suki quickly approaching him, he moved into an attack stance and started a firebending form, but he never got the chance to complete it. Katara didn't slow as she used her free hand and the last of her water to instantly freeze the firebender's legs and arms, stopping him mid-form.

Without a backwards glance, they hurried to their exit, and with both Zuko and Katara on either side of Suki, rushed down the path between the buildings. Adrenaline fueled their race down the alleyway, and they took several more turns before they finally slowed down enough to catch their breath. Their frantic flight had taken them to the edge of the city, but unfortunately further away from their ride home.

"How are we going to make it all the way back to Appa?" Katara asked in between gulps of air, "They could catch up to us by then."

"We don't have to go to Appa…Appa will come to us," Zuko then reached into his pouch, and pulled out the sky bison whistle.

The two of him gave him curious looks, so he clarified. "I asked Aang if I could borrow it, just in case something happened."

Despite her situation, Suki looked impressed. "Wow. I guess for once, Zuko's pessimism actually came in handy."

"Thanks," he replied sarcastically, and then proceeded to give a long, hard blow on the whistle.

While they waited for Appa, Katara examined Suki's wound while Zuko stood guard. There weren't any people around the area at the moment, but Zuko still waited, tense and alert. When they finally heard Appa's familiar call, all three of sighed in relief.

Suki, who was still being supported by Katara, immediately came up to Appa once he had landed, and used her free hand to rub him affectionately. "Boy are we glad to see you, Appa. You really saved our butts."

Appa turned his head towards them and seemed to grunt in agreement. Katara gave Appa and affectionate rub as well, and then began helping Suki up into Appa's saddle. They had just tossed their bundles up into Appa's saddle when Zuko heard several footsteps approaching from behind, which meant only one thing. The assassins had caught back up to them.

 _Agni, can we ever catch a break?_ Zuko thought bitterly, but already he was preparing himself for what he had to do. His old injury had started to ache and throb, but Zuko had been taught to ignore the pain and fight through it, and his need to protect Katara and Suki gave him the will and strength to face the group.

He caught Katara's attention, "You and Suki get on. I'll hold them off."

"But Zuko-" she immediately protested, but Zuko was not going to let her argue this.

"Get going, now!"

He turned back to face his opponents, which now only included the leader and two others, and immediately flowed into a firebending form. Focusing his attack into one large stream, he aimed it across at the other three, and it produced a loud roar as it met and clashed with the flames of the other firebenders.

"Zuko, come on!" Katara's voice cut through the commotion and noise, and drew him with its sense of urgency.

A quick glance showed him that Appa was hovering close behind him, with Suki in his saddle, and Katara at the reins. Taking a deep breath, he then pulled from deep within himself, and focused all of his firebending and energy into this one last move. He pulsed with the life of it, and it heightened his senses, making him feel every one of his muscles as he gracefully guided his body through the necessary movements. When he reached the culmination of his form his body stopped, but the power in him rushed forward, and he felt, rather than saw, his charged attack spring to life. A split second later the great wall of fire appeared, and like a living thing, it raced towards its targets.

Zuko did not stay to see its work done, however, for he was already moving. With one last effort, he gathered himself and leaped towards Appa and Katara's outstretched hand. The instant their hands locked together Katara commanded Appa to rise, and she quickly helped to pull him up beside her as they rose above the city.

"Thanks," he told her when he managed to find his voice again.

Katara continued to look straight ahead, "That's the second time now I've had to pull you out of some suicidal mission that you've thrown yourself headfirst into." She then turned to look at him, and while there was some teasing in her tone and expression, he could hear the real concern for him underneath it. "Let's not make it a third time, okay?"

"Alright," he answered as he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, which she immediately returned.

"I need to go see to Suki, can you take over here?"

He gave his assent, so she handed him the reins and scrambled back to saddle, to where Suki sat, so she could begin healing her.

As Zuko settled into position behind Appa's head, the spot on his chest gave a sharp ache, but this time he welcomed the pain. It fed into the anger that began to grow in him as he thought about the assassins' appearance. The idea that someone was specifically trying to kill Katara had initially sent a chill of fear through him, but now it had been replaced with a slow-simmering fury that demanded action. It wasn't the hot-blooded rage that he had felt so often in the past. This was a cold fury, one that focused his mind into a sharp tool with a single-minded purpose. This time, he needed the anger. He needed it, because it was the only thing that kept the paralyzing tendrils of fear at bay.

He would do whatever was necessary, and give anything within his power, to protect Katara. His mind couldn't, or wouldn't, think past what would happen if he failed.

* * *

Katara gave a sigh of relief when she could make out the distinct figures of Sokka, Aang, and Toph by their campsite on the beach. Suki, who was sitting next to her in Appa's saddle, gave Katara's arm a gentle squeeze in response. Other than a little leftover numbness in her side, Katara had been able to extract the poison from her friend and fully heal the cut at her side. This process had taken the entire trip back, and so she hadn't had a chance to talk to Zuko again. He hadn't looked back at them or said a word since when they had first taken off, and Katara was beginning to worry about him.

Their friends were already walking towards them, or in Sokka's case, hobbling, so when Appa landed on the beach just a short distance away from the fire, they were already there to greet them. Sokka's tired, but joyful expression changed to worry as he watched Zuko and Katara help Suki down from Appa, even though she told them repeatedly that she didn't need any help.

"Suki, is everything okay?" Sokka asked as he came in close to give her a hug.

After she returned his heartfelt hug, she tried to reassure him, "Yes, everything's fine. We just had a little …adventure …while we were out shopping. Nothing we couldn't handle."

Sokka quirked his eyebrow at her and gave both Katara and Suki an accusatory look, "And what kind of adventure would that be? The went-into-town-and-watched-an-angry-mob-burn-an-effigy-of-us kind of adventure, or the while-in-town-I-got-chased-by-an-entire-squad-of-Fire-Nation-troops kind of adventure?"

 _Leave it to my brother to be overdramatic_ , Katara mused, and she tried to play it off casual, so as not to alarm the others, "Oh, just the usual stuff…running into creepy townspeople, being stalked by bands of giggling girls, and fighting off hordes of firebenders."

"What?" Toph crossed her arms and nearly pouted, "You mean to tell me that you three got into a fight and had some fun while I had to stay here and listen to these two knuckleheads moan all morning long?"

"You got into a fight?" Aang's sleepy expression suddenly became alert and dismayed, "How? What happened?"

Katara patiently started to explain what happened to the group. "We were out shopping when Zuko noticed that someone was following us. When we tried to lose them, we actually ran into the rest of their group. There was a fight, and Suki got cut while taking out some of the attackers with her stealth attack. We broke away long enough to get onto Appa, and I healed Suki on the way here."

"Ugh, I still can't believe that I let that guy get me like that," Suki admitted with a sigh, "I should have known better. If the other Kyoshi warriors were around, they wouldn't let me hear the end of it."

"Are you kidding?" Katara tried to boost her friend's spirit, "I think it was amazing how you snuck up on them like that."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't so amazing when I had to be carried like a sack of potatoes for the rest of the fight, while you and Zuko took care of the rest of them."

Katara was about to reassure Suki that wasn't the case, but then Aang interrupted, "But why were they after you in the first place?"

"Someone hired them to come after us."

All eyes turned to Zuko after his grim pronouncement. To all outward appearances, Zuko appeared calm and steady, but as Katara searched his face, she noticed the little subtle indications that told her he was upset. It was in the ever-so-slight twist of his mouth, the way his eyes narrowed just a little when he talked, and the slight edge to his voice that told her he was trying to keep his emotions in check. "The mercenaries told us that they were only just recently hired, and that they were to kill me…and Katara."

Aang, Sokka, and Toph were all shocked at hearing Zuko's news, and it was Toph who first found her voice again.

"You mean someone actually put a hit out on you and Sugar Queen? Oh man, you must have really pissed someone off."

 _Um, guys, you're not exactly helping me out here_. Katara prepared herself for her brother's overreaction, which was right on cue.

Sokka took a deep breath, as if he was about to yell, but then he must have been reminded about his current delicate state. He paused for a moment, and then asked in a quiet, but urgent voice, "Will someone please explain to me why is there a hit out _on my little sister_?"

"And why just you and Katara? Why not the rest of us?" There was a very suspicious tone in Aang's questions as he frowned at Zuko.

"We don't know for sure yet if it's just me and Katara that they're after. They could be after more of us, but since you three weren't there, we can't tell."

"But why didn't they come after Suki?" Sokka's brow was creased in thought.

"I don't know why they were after the two of us specifically," Zuko admitted, "Perhaps it's because Katara and I were the ones to defeat my sister, or because of what we did at the capital prison…"

Katara's gaze cut to Zuko at the mention of the prison, a little apprehensive at what he might reveal, but he quickly fell silent, and never finished his sentence. This didn't go completely unnoticed, especially by Aang, but Suki immediately spoke up and smoothed things over.

"Regardless of the reason, the important thing is that we got back just fine. We just need to make sure to be a little more cautious now."

"And we need to stick together," Katara spoke softly, but firmly.

Though the assassins' appearance still bothered Katara, she already felt better, and safer, amongst her friends. They had managed, against all odds, to beat Ozai and win the war, and that knowledge gave Katara the feeling that could beat anything, as long as they were together.

"And no more adventures to Harbor City," Aang said a little stiffly, to which Toph then added, "At least not without me. I'll pulverize each one of those little creeps into dust if they even think about coming around again."

"Or Zuko could just do his lightning trick again," Suki smiled, "That seemed to have scared them pretty good."

"What!" several of their friends exclaimed as they looked at Zuko in surprise.

Even Toph looked impressed. "When did you learn to do that?"

Zuko just shrugged it off. "My uncle had actually taught me the technique several months ago, but I was never able to execute it properly because I was too angry and aggressive. In order to create the lightning, you have to be calm, focused, and in tune with the energies that reside within it. Once I mastered that, creating the lightning came naturally."

Sokka snickered, "So basically, your jerkbending got in the way of your lightning bending… because, you know, you were always angry…"

Zuko gave Sokka an irritated look, and his words carried the barest hint of a threat, "You know, lightning is extremely dangerous….and it can be unpredictable."

"Alright, boys, that's enough," Katara crossed her arms and gave Sokka a stern look, "Unless you no longer have a desire to eat seaweed soup."

Although Katara was tired and wanted nothing better to do than take a nap or a nice, relaxing swim, she knew that a home cooked meal would help improve their moods and take their minds off of what had just happened. That, and she knew how much of a pain her brother could be when he was hungry. It was not a pretty picture.

"What?" her brother yelped, "Of course I do! I didn't think you guys brought anything back, you know, with the fight and all."

She gave a derisive sniff. "It's not the first, nor the last time, we've had to shop and run. Now, if we want to eat in good time, I need to start getting the soup ready."

Usually, preparing and cooking the seaweed soup would have taken her at least an hour by herself, but with various members of the group, mostly Zuko and Suki, pitching in here and there, the process went a lot faster. Zuko still didn't say much the whole time, which really irked her, but with everyone else around, she unfortunately couldn't talk to him about it. Aang seemed determined to make up for missing out on the morning's adventures, so he continually hovered around Katara, chatting about whatever crossed his mind at the moment and even offering to help with the soup preparations. She hadn't minded this at all, until Aang and Sokka started bickering over some petty nonsense and Aang had the bright idea to airbend some of the seaweed into Sokka's face. This, of course, lead to a three-way food fight between Sokka, Aang, and Momo, which Katara had to quickly put a stop to. Needless to say, the three of them had been banished from the cooking area from that point onward.

After much anticipation, in which most of the anticipation came from Sokka, the rest looked at the soup as if trying to decide whether it was better to eat the questionable concoction or brave Katara's wrath, the seaweed soup was ready to be served. And Katara thought the soup was pretty good, if she did say so herself. Sokka had even told her it was just as good as Gran-Grans, which made her beam with pride. When she had asked the rest of the group what they thought, they had all been strangely struck with a fit of the mumbles, and the most she could get out of any of them was when Zuko had said it had an "interesting" color and texture. Whatever that meant.

As soon as they were done, they all started to clean and pack up their things onto Appa so they could head back to the palace. With everyone else concentrated around Appa, Katara seized the opportunity to pull Zuko further off to the side and try to talk with him.

She could tell that Zuko was still trying to put up a front, though. "We really need to get going, Katara. Now's not the time to talk."

He tried to step around her, but she stubbornly moved back in front of him. "It's exactly the time to talk, because I said so. Something is still bothering you, and I want to hear it."

Sighing, he gave her an exasperated look. "You're absolutely not going to let this go until I talk about it, aren't you?"

"You got that right. So talk."

"I just don't understand…" He stopped mid-sentence and suddenly looked off to the side, as if unsure whether or not to continue.

"Don't understand what?" she prodded at him.

When he turned back, his jaw was clenched and his eyes held a glimmer of anger in them. "How you can be so calm and carefree after what happened this morning? Doesn't it bother you that someone is trying to use any means necessary to kill you?"

 _So that's what this is all about…he's worried about me._ "Of course I don't like the thought that someone is trying to assassinate me, but I'm not going to let it get to me. Ever since I've left my home, I've been in constant danger, and I've lost track of the number times I've almost gotten killed."

She lightened her tone, and gave him a playful poke in the chest. "And have you already forgotten how we spent the first few months of our relationship together? I seem to remember a certain Fire Prince chasing us from one side of the ocean to the other, using anything from pirates to bounty hunters with weird pets to get his hands on us."

But instead of cheering him up, this only seemed to upset him more. "That wasn't the same. I wasn't trying to _kill_ you. I was only trying to capture you and bring you back to the Fire Nation. This is much more serious."

"Oh, come on, Zuko. If our group survived your father's and sister's sinister plans, I think we can handle a small band of mercenaries."

He shook his head, "You still don't get it. Someone wants us _dead_ , and they are not going to stop until that becomes a reality. This time it was a mercenary group of firebenders, but next time it could be an arrow from across the street, or a poison in your food. And they'll keep coming back, and they'll keep trying, until either you, or the person that hired them, is dead."

Katara involuntarily wrapped her arms around herself as the reality of Zuko's words sunk in. She had grown used to thinking that she could overcome any enemy with her waterbending. She realized, however, that Zuko was right. But how could you fight something that you couldn't see coming until it was too late?

"Katara?"

When she looked back up at him, she noticed that the anger she had seen in him was gone, and was now replaced with concern. He had also stepped closer to her, and placed a hand on her arm.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "I didn't mean to scare you like that. I just kinda said it, without thinking about it."

"No, it's okay," she admitted, "But what are we going to do now?"

"We're going to find whoever is trying to kill us, and put an end to it." For a brief moment, a flash of cold fury had crossed his features, but his golden eyes once again became soft and warm, "I'll do whatever I can to protect you, Katara. I _will_ get to the bottom of this, I promise."

" _We_ will get to the bottom of this," she corrected him gently.

His lips curved into a beautiful smile at her words, one that was genuine and made her heart flutter. She felt like she really could just stand there all day and stare into his golden eyes. Perhaps that kind of behavior could be classified as creepy, but she didn't care at that moment.

"Hey guys…"

Aang came up on them in a rush, and his voice trailed off as soon as he caught sight of the two of them, his expression mixed with feelings of confusion and what was probably jealousy. Although she and Zuko had only been talking, she couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of guilt at seeing Aang's face. Zuko did remove his hand from her arm, but he did so slowly, and he didn't back down from Aang's gaze.

Katara made sure her voice was steady before she spoke up, "Aang, what is it?"

Aang, however, didn't answer her right away. His and Zuko's expressions had turned carefully neutral, and both of their gazes were locked on to each other. Neither said anything, but it took Katara two more tries before Aang finally turned towards her and answered her question.

"Appa's all loaded up and ready to head back to the palace. I just wanted to let you know."

Without giving either of them a chance to speak, Aang abruptly spun around and started to walk away. Katara's heart seemed to sink a little with each step he took.

Knowing what she need to do, she gave a heavy sigh, "I'll talk to him today, after we get back to the palace."

"Aang's a good kid, Katara," Zuko reassured her, "He might not like what you have to tell him, but I know, in the end, he'll still want to be your friend."

"I sure hope so," she whispered, as the fear and anxiety of what was ahead of her seeped into her mood. A part of her wanted to believe that everything was going to be okay, and that Aang would understand how she felt towards him. Perhaps she was worrying about it too much, and blowing the whole thing out of proportion.

But, as she had found out countless times since she had left her home, things were rarely so simple and easy.

* * *

I had a lot of fun writing the action sequence in this chapter, and loved getting Suki in on the action too (she is so kickass). I hope it turned out well and you enjoyed the update. Thank you for reading! :-)


	9. Getting Down to Business

The sun was still high in the sky as Zuko and his friends approached the royal palace on Appa. The sight of the palace itself brought a mixture of different emotions to Zuko, and though there was still some sadness and regret, he was also focused, and resolute. There were a lot of matters of state that would need to be attended to, as the surrounding charred buildings from his battle with Azula grimly reminded him. There were so many things to do, so many wrongs to right, it was nearly overwhelming…and he was only seventeen. It seemed impossible at times, the thought of him actually ruling a country, but he stubbornly squashed these feelings as soon as they emerged. He had never been one to give up, he always kept fighting to the end, and this was certainly no exception.

When Appa landed on the palace grounds, everyone grabbed their stuff and dismounted, and began to head to the palace itself. Zuko didn't get very far, however, before he was stopped.

"Hey, Zuko?"

Zuko turned to face Sokka, who had grabbed his makeshift crutch and came up next to him, with a serious expression on his face. He recognized that focused look on Sokka's face. It was the same one he had when he was devising a plan, or when he was trying catch Zuko off guard in their sword sparring matches. The other teenager didn't waste any time, either.

"I need to talk to you," he told Zuko, and when he realized that the others had turned to look at them, he gave them a meaningful look, "alone."

Katara looked at her brother suspiciously, "What do you need to talk about now that's so secretive?"

"Oh, nothing. Just….manly stuff."

Anyone could tell just by glancing at Sokka's face that he was hiding something, but Suki seemed to sense that he wanted some privacy, so she gently hooked her arm through Katara's and gave it a pat.

"Come on, let's give the 'men' some time together."

Both Zuko and Sokka frowned a little at her tone, but she just smiled and led a still suspicious Katara on ahead of them. When Sokka was satisfied at the distance between them and the rest of the group, he turned to Zuko.

"So, I wanted to talk to you some more about what happened this morning."

Zuko gritted his teeth in anger, but tried to keep his voice smooth. "I have some ideas on where to start looking for the mercenaries. One way or another, I _will_ find out who sent them."

"Well, that's all fine and dandy, except that I couldn't help but notice you never said 'we', only 'I'. She's my sister, Zuko. I need to find out who's after her too."

"I know that," he tried to put as much patience as he could muster in his tone, "but I need you to let me handle this one. You're not the only one who's good at solving problems, you know."

Sokka, however, was still insistent. "Look, I know you're a big stickler on the whole solo honor and redemption thing, but you don't need to do this alone. What happened this morning wasn't your fault. This is something I want to be a part of."

Zuko didn't agree with Sokka on his blamelessness, but he chose to skip over that, and get straight to the point. "Sokka, I'm not insisting on doing this alone because of some honor-bound duty, I'm being realistic. How exactly are you going to go about looking for these mercenaries when you don't even know anything about the city and would probably get lost within the first ten minutes of being on the streets?"

His friend's tone became a little defensive, "You don't have to have the city layout memorized in order to talk to people. Someone in the city has to know who these guys are, and where their hideout is."

"First of all, Sokka, these guys were organized and professional. They're not going to have an 'Assassins for Hire' sign hanging on the door to their headquarters. Second of all, even if we are lucky and find someone who knows something about the mercenaries, they're not going to talk to foreigners. No offense Sokka, but no matter what clothes you wear, anyone who takes a close look at your face will immediately be able to tell you're not from the Fire Nation."

Sokka's frown had grown a little deeper at every one of Zuko's words, and now he seemed ready to burst with all of his unspoken arguments, but Zuko held him off, "And lastly, you're injured and need healing and rest. You won't be able to do any sleuthing with only being able to hobble around on one leg." Almost as an afterthought, he added, with some trepidation, "Also, if your sister knew that I sent you off on a mission with an injury, she'd have my hide."

Sokka stopped in his tracks and opened his mouth as he was going to speak, then abruptly shut it…then opened it, only to snap shut again, as he processed what Zuko had told him. A look of resignation finally crossed his features, and he gave a huff.

"I much as I don't like it, I guess that makes sense," Sokka let out a frustrated sigh, "It's just that… I don't like not being able to help."

"Believe me, I understand," he then reached over and grasped Sokka's shoulder, "but I won't let you down."

Sokka met his gaze, and Zuko knew that the other boy understood what he had left unsaid. A bond of friendship had formed between them ever since Hakoda's rescue, and even though they often gave each other a hard time, underneath it all, there was a strong trust between the two.

"You better not," he replied as he grasped Zuko's arm in return, and after he let go, a sly smile appeared on his face, "or since you seemed so scared of her, I might sic Katara after you."

The comment completely took Zuko off guard, and though Sokka had meant it to intimidate him, his mind took it a totally different way, and he blushed furiously, "Ah…that won't be necessary." _Right now, I am really glad that he's in the dark._

"Geez, Zuko, I was only joking," Sokka then playfully punched him in the shoulder, "Don't worry, I won't let my little sister harm the big, bad soon-to-be-Fire-Lord."

"Thanks," Zuko muttered as he tried to regain some of his composure, and then the two of them started off again to catch up with the others.

As their group neared the main front entrance of the palace, Zuko noticed several men standing in front of its doors, all of them in Fire Nation uniform except for the slight man in the middle. The man looked tiny indeed standing next to the towering figure next to him, and Zuko smiled as he recognized the large man. His smile faltered, however, when he saw the accusatory look etched across the other man's features. That look told Zuko that he was in trouble, and he could probably guess why.

"Hey, Masato," Zuko said sheepishly, and at that moment he felt like a little kid who was confessing to a lie, "I guess you've been wondering where I've been?"

Zuko would have thought it impossible, but Masato's hard features became even stonier as he crossed his massive forearms together and stated in a grim tone, "As the new Captain of the Royal Guard, my sole duty is to protect the Fire Lord from any threats from inside or outside of the Fire Nation. I can't carry out my duty, however, if you decide to mysteriously vanish from the face of the world. I don't think I need to emphasis how grave the situation would be here, Your Highness, if something were to happen to you."

 _I guess_ _my days of wandering about and having adventures are officially over._ Sighing, Zuko relented to the inevitability. "You're absolutely right, Masato. I will let you know, from now on, of any trips I am planning to take."

"I think it's a good thing that someone is keeping an extra eye on him," a small, but amused, smile showed on Katara's lips as she addressed Masato, "He can be a little too selfless and reckless for his own good."

Masato grunted his agreement. "From what I've seen firsthand, it's amazing he's lived this long. For some reason firebenders, and royal ones in particular, seem to think that they're invincible."

"Ah-hem," Zuko cleared his throat, a little irritated at the turn of conversation, "If you two are done, I have some things that need to be taken care of."

"A great many things, I should say, Your Highness. And that is why I'm here."

The small man next to Masato finally spoke up, and when he bowed, Zuko noticed the medallion of office around his neck. The official was older than Zuko, but not yet middle-aged, and he had the black hair and gray eyes that was very typical of most Fire Nation citizens. When he straightened back up, he was still several inches shorter than Zuko, and for some reason, he seemed very nervous and apprehensive.

"And you would be?" When Zuko asked the man, he visibly gulped.

The man bowed again, his voice anxious. "Kenshin Iyuto, at your service, Your Highness. I am the newly appointed First Secretary, and your personal assistant in running the affairs of the country."

 _Yup, I've definitely been out of the palace lifestyle for a while now._ "First of all, Kenshin, if we're going to be working together, I can't have you bowing to me all the time. I know you have to keep up a certain degree of propriety and decorum, but there _is_ such a thing as overdoing it. And there's no need to be so nervous, just relax."

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about upsetting Zuko," Sokka smirked at his friend, "Unless you frown at him, or poke him, or laugh at him, or try to have some fun-"

"-Thank you, Sokka," Zuko interrupted his rant, "I think it's about time you found your room and got another healing session in. Don't you, Katara?"

Zuko had to admit, he enjoyed the slightly panicked and forlorn expression that instantly covered Sokka's features, as did Katara.

"He better let me do a healing session with him, if he has any desire to use that leg anytime soon."

Zuko turned back to his adviser, "Kenshin, my friends will all need some rooms in the palace, in the wing next to mine. Can you see to it please?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Kenshin replied, and then promptly pulled a small bell out of his pocket and gave it a ring. Almost immediately, two servants came up quickly and approached them.

"So we've had more people come back to the palace?" Zuko asked, a little surprised at their appearance.

"Yes, Prince Zuko. Yuri and Katsu brought a large group of us-including myself-back to the palace late yesterday, and there are still more trickling in. We have regained a little over half of our original staff at this point, and we should have the palace up and running at normal capacity in the next few days."

Zuko nodded, happy at hearing the news, and then turned to his friends, "You guys can go ahead and get settled into your rooms. I have some more business to take care of around the palace still."

"Alright, Sparky," Toph crossed her arms, "but if anyone, and I mean _anyone_ , give you any trouble, you just find me and I'll set them straight for ya."

"We will see you later, right?" Katara's deep blue eyes instinctively drew him in, and he really wished at that moment that it was just the two of them.

"You will, I promise," he replied steadily as they held each other's gaze, and then he looked away again, for fear of giving too much away. He redirected his attention to Aang. "There's a stable area in the back that Appa can continue to use while he's here. There should be plenty of food for him there, but if he needs anything else, just let someone in the palace know."

Aang smiled. "Thanks, Zuko. I think I'll go check it out too." He turned to Appa. "What do you think, Appa—do you want to show me where your new hangout is?" Appa brayed happily in response. Aang, with a chittering Momo sitting on his shoulders, deftly hopped up into Appa's saddle, and the three of them were off shortly.

After their group exchanged some quick good-byes, the two servants led the rest of his friends to his rooms, while Masato and Kenshin followed Zuko to his office. As soon as Zuko stepped into the office, he could almost feel the responsibility of his position settle on his shoulders. _Something to get used to, I suppose._

When the Masato shut the door behind the three of them, Zuko turned to him. "So, have you heard from the other prisons yet? Have they released the prisoners of war as instructed?"

"It's a work in progress," the larger man answered, "Most of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe prisoners here in the two Capital City prisons have been released, and they should be finished with the process by tonight. We have received word from the prisons here in the country that they are starting the process and hope to finish within the week."

"Including the Boiling Rock Prison?"

"Yes, Your Highness, we got a messenger hawk from them just this morning. They seemed eager to comply and said that all the war prisoners will be released by tomorrow."

Masato then rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "To be honest, I was surprised by their response. If anyone would fight your order, I thought it would have been them."

 _Could Mai have something to do with that? That is where I saw her last, but then again, anything could have happened during that time…_

"Your Highness, if I may?"

Kenshin's voice brought back Zuko's attention, "Yes, Kenshin?"

He seemed nervous again, "Masato here informed me of your other…commands that you issued, and I have some some…news regarding it."

Zuko waited for him to speak, and when he didn't, he prompted, "Yes, what is it?"

The smaller man cringed ever so slightly, which caused Masato to roll his eyes, "Kenshin, I told you he's not like that. He'll understand."

"Not like what?" Zuko asked curiously.

Kenshin finally answered, "I apologize, Your Highness, I'm just not used to your style of…running things. I served as Second Secretary during the last two years of Ozai's reign, and then during Azula's interim. They were very strict and…punitive with their orders and their servants, to put it lightly."

Masato snorted, "That's the understatement of the year."

The image of Ozai standing in front of him on the day he got his scar flashed through his mind, and his whispered, "Believe me, I understand. I have just as much, if not more, reason to hate that man as anyone else."

He shook the image away, and returned to the matter at hand. "Ozai nearly destroyed the entire world trying to fulfill his fanatical dreams of world domination. I want the Fire Nation to be a peaceful nation again, not just a machine of war, and I'm going to need all the help I can get to make it that way."

Though Zuko had grown up in the palace for most of his life, he knew that he had still a lot of gaps in his knowledge in how to run a nation on a daily basis, and so he understood how much help he needed from these two.

"I want to be honest with both of you. I don't know everything there is to know about leading a nation. There are a lot of details and intricacies with being a ruler that I'm going to need your input on. I don't want you to be afraid to speak up, give me advice, or to voice your opinion, even when you think I'm wrong. And I won't punish someone for just speaking their mind. We need to trust each other if we even hope to pull this thing together."

He could tell that both of them were little surprised at his impromptu speech, and he had to admit, it was probably the most un-Fire-Lord-like speech in the history of the Fire Nation. Of course, he was also the first Fire Lord in history that took over ruling the country at the end of a century-long war at the age of seventeen. He had a lot of changes in store for his nation, ones that would be difficult and painful, so much so that protocol was the least of his worries.

"I have to say, Your Highness," Kenshin started off a little unsure of himself, but the more he talked, the more confident he became, "That you are nothing like your father or your sister, and for that, I am extremely grateful. I think you are exactly what we need now, and I will gladly give you any and all of the help and support that I can provide."

"You should know by now that I'm with you to the end, Your Highness, like it or not," the corners of Masato's twitched up just slightly, in a rare smile from the large man, "And I won't be afraid to tell you if you're making a royal idiot of yourself."

"Good," Zuko felt as if he had just crossed a hurdle, one that was small, yet important, "Now, Kenshin, tell me of this news of yours."

"Yes, the prisons. I saw that you wished to release those that Ozai, and at the last, Azula, had wrongly imprisoned. Well, this has turned out to be a much more difficult or complex issue that anticipated. Those that had been caught in the prison sweeps in the last few weeks were easier to identify, but those that were imprisoned by individual guards or even by the palace itself have been a confusing mess. Many of these prisoners were never officially charged and were thrown into prison without any paperwork, so it is a matter of hearsay as to why they are there in the first place. For those we do have paperwork, I am not sure what exactly qualifies as 'unjust'."

Kenshin then pulled a few papers from a stack in his satchel and ran his finger over them, until he found what he was looking for, "We have a man in the Prison Tower, for instance, that was imprisoned by your sister, on charges of espionage and conspiracy, but the proof for his guilt or innocence is not an easy thing to come by. Do you begin to see now, what I am saying?"

Zuko closed his eyes, and squeezed the bridge of his nose out of frustration, "Yes, I see." _And how many more of those are there, caused by either my father or my sister? How far did their insanity stretch?_

He opened his eyes and then pointed at the papers in Kenshin's hands, "I want you to collect as much paperwork on these prisoners as you can, go back and talk to them and the prison staff again, if you must, and then we will start going over the cases together, one by one, until we can get more of a process going."

"But, Your Highness, do you realize how many prisoners that could encompass, just for the two prisons here in the capital? The amount of paperwork, let along the time-"

"I know, Kenshin," he was gentle, but firm, in his answer, "but I want it done. Start compiling the paperwork, and whenever I get the chance, we'll go over them together."

"Speaking of prisoners," Masato spoke up, "There is the matter of the generals, as well."

"What about the generals?"

"Ah, yes," Kenshin frowned, "As I think you already know, Prince Zuko, many of the palace staff, and even the some of the generals themselves, left the palace as Azula's control over the palace increased. Some of the generals, such as High General Bujing, have been missing for several days now, with no one knowing where they are."

"I can tell you were they are," Masato scathingly retorted, "hiding around the outskirts of the city, and up to no good is where they are, mark my words."

"Yes, Masato, you have said that before," Kenshin remarked irritably, "But until we have enough men to run thorough sweeps of the surrounding areas, that is just speculation. Now, as I was saying, most of the generals stayed in the city or came back to the palace. These men have now been apprehended and placed under custody in the Prison Tower, and are waiting your judgment, with one exception."

"You did _what_?" Just when he thought they were beginning to make progress, they took a couple steps backwards, "You just up and threw them all into prison?"

Kenshin now appeared nervous, "Y-yes, Your Highness. You were nowhere to be found…and when I talked to Masato, he thought it would be best."

"It needed to be done," Masato was unruffled, as usual, "These men were all extremely loyal to both your father and your sister, and in their eyes, you are a traitor. You let them run around the city unchecked, they'll all be after your hide, and gathering their own troops to start their own armies. The last thing we need right now is a civil war on top of everything else."

Zuko was silent for a while, as he thought about what Masato had said. He didn't like the idea of throwing people into prison just based on their previous affiliations, it sounded like something Ozai would do, but he had to admit that what Masato told him made sense.

"So, do we know for certain where their loyalties lie now? Did you at least give them the chance to change their minds?"

"Since this dealt directly with your safety and that of the city, no, I didn't," Masato was unapologetic, "On matters of security I act first, then ask questions later."

"Alright then, here's what I want you to do," Zuko instructed them, "I want someone to visit each one of these generals, update them on the situation, and offer them terms of loyalty."

"Terms of _loyalty_?" Shock actually registered on Masato's face, "Are you out of your-"

"Yes, terms of loyalty," Zuko raised his voice slightly and kept his expression firm, "If these generals are willing to swear a new oath of loyalty to me, they are to be released and given back the rank and property that is rightfully theirs. They know what the consequences are for breaking an oath, and I will not hesitate to throw them in prison or banish them if they wish to test it. If they refuse to take the oath, then they will be sentenced to time in the Prison Tower, the number of years of which I will determine on a case-by-case basis. Also, since you, Masato, are concerned about the security issues of letting them run around, I will let you determine how to keep an eye on them, at least for the first few weeks. And, I want us to start running the sweeps surrounding the city as soon as humanly possible, and I want High General Bujing found. Is that understood?"

This had been Zuko the Fire Lord, speaking, not Zuko the teenager, and both seemed to understand that this was a clear command. They both solemnly replied, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Good. Now, there is one more matter I need to speak to the both of you about," Zuko then moved around behind the desk and began searching for a quill, ink, and parchment, "I need to know if you've ever seen this symbol before."

The two men came around behind him and he made the strokes to form the image on the page, as he remembered it. He started with a circle that was nearly unbroken except for the bottom center, which had a slight gap in it. He then began at the edge of the gaps, and brushed a solid, nearly straight line up until the points of both lines came in contact with each other, at the top of the semi-circle. Once he was finished, he pushed the paper towards them.

Both of the men took a long, hard look at what he had drawn, but unfortunately they both shook their heads.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I've never seen that before."

"Nope, can't say that I have either," Masato then looked at him suspiciously, "And you're interested in this because?..."

"This symbol was on the men who tried to kill me and my friends this morning."

Masato muttered something that sounded like a curse under his breath, and then shot a glare at Zuko, "I let you out of my sight for one day and you nearly get yourself killed? I mean no offense, Prince Zuko, but this is exactly why I don't want you running around without letting me know first."

"Yes, Masato, I understand, but that's not why I brought this up." Zuko knew he should try to be patient, but right now, it was hard to do. "This was a very organized group that was recently hired by someone to kill, not just me, but Katara as well. I have to find out who's behind this."

Masato sounded very concerned, "How do you know that they're after her as well?"

"They specifically told me that the two of us were their marked targets."

"Sounds pretty bold of them, just telling you like that."

"I guess since they outnumbered us seven to three, they were feeling overconfident," Zuko shrugged, "But I'm pretty sure they won't make the same mistake twice, which is why I need to find out who hired them, and why."

"It could be any number of people, Your Highness," Kenshin's brow furrowed in concentration, "It could be Ozai or Azula loyalists, or one of the noble families who are next in line to inherit the throne."

Masato added his speculation, "Or it could be some overzealous general who thinks if they nix you, they can then run the whole joint. Take your pick."

Zuko looked at Masato, "Is there any possibility that maybe it was directed by Azula herself? Maybe she got something past the guards?"

But the large man shook his head, "No chance. I have my best men guarding her and Ozai, men that I would trust with my life. There's no way either of them are getting any information out of there."

 _Which means I'm still stuck on square one,_ he thought bitterly, but he tried to not let it get him down. "I want the two of you to use whatever means and resources at your disposal to find out what this symbol means and who the assassins are. Once we get that information, the rest should start falling into place. Now, unless you have something else for me?-"

Kenshin piped up, "Ah, yes, Your Highness, there was something else I wanted to discuss with you. If you recall our conversation earlier, I mentioned how we had imprisoned all the generals we found, with one exception?"

Zuko nodded, so he continued, "Well, the one exception is what I wanted to talk to you about. There was one general, who, unlike the others, when we imprisoned him, spoke several times on how he wanted to support you, Prince Zuko, and wanted to swear loyalty to you. When Masato told me this, I went and visited this general in person, and after a long discussion with him, I believed him to be genuine. I managed to convince Masato to release him from the Prison Tower, and stay here as palace 'guest', so to speak, until you could pass judgment on the matter."

"I have someone watching him at all times," Masato added, "So far, he's been good to his word, and hasn't caused any trouble."

"What's his name?" Zuko asked.

"His name is Ichiro," Kenshin answered, "He is, or was, a member of Ozai's cabinet, and a High General, third in overall command of the Fire Nation military, under Bujing and Shinu. He has also requested to speak to you in person, Your Highness."

"Which isn't going to happen," Masato firmly interjected, "At least, not until I've gotten to check him and his story out a lot more thoroughly."

He understood Masato's concerns, but Zuko saw an opportunity here he couldn't pass up. "I want to see him. Now, if possible." Masato was about to speak, but Zuko beat him to it, "Yes, that's an order, and no, you don't get to override my decision. There's only one of him, and three of us. I think we'll be fine."

"Agni grant me patience," Masato muttered, but loud enough that Zuko heard it. Zuko decided to ignore it, this time.

Kenshin summoned another servant and issued them instructions. While they waited, Kenshin filled him in on the details on what had been happening around the palace while he had been gone, and soon enough, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Zuko called out, and when the door opened, a tall, stocky man entered the room, dressed in the full military attire of a general.

Masato and Kenshin stood up with Zuko as the general entered the room, and Zuko made sure to keep his face neutral, and his voice firm, but with a touch of warmth. ' _One's tone and expression can reveal far more than the words you utter'. I do remember, Uncle._

"Greeting, General Ichiro."

Ichiro gave a small bow in return, "Greetings, Prince Zuko. It was very gracious of you to take the time to see me."

His voice was smooth and his tone very polite and precise, which matched his meticulous appearance. His black hair, mustache, and beard were oiled and neatly trimmed and groomed, and his uniform appeared to be in perfect order. His very bearing spoke of someone who was very confident and proud, and his gold eyes moved and examined everything with a cunning intelligence.

"My secretary Kenshin told me that you wished to speak to me?"

Ichiro's eyebrow rose slightly and his mouth twitched, in what could have been amusement. "Straight to point, I see. Your father was never one for small talk, either. Very well, I wished to convey my congratulations on your victory and upcoming coronation. I also wanted to assure Your Highness that I am, as always, a loyal subject to the Fire Nation, and therefore to yourself."

His words almost sounded too good to be true, and there was still a part of Zuko that was suspicious, but he wanted to give the man a chance. "Though your support is very welcome General Ichiro, I have to admit that it is a little surprising …and unexpected."

Ichiro nodded, as if he had already anticipated Zuko's unspoken question, "As would I, if I were in your position, Prince Zuko. You see, my family has always had ties to the Fire Nation, for my father was a general, as was his father before him, stretching back for several generations. Though my ancestry may not be as noble as Your Highness's, I consider myself a true and noble citizen of the Fire Nation, and so it is to my nation that I pledge my loyalty, first and foremost. However, since the Fire Lord is the chosen leader and representative of our country, I am therefore loyal to him as well. I had considered myself a loyal supporter of Ozai for nearly all of his reign, until the events of the last couple of weeks. To put it simply, I think Ozai overstretched his limits as Fire Lord, what with proclaiming himself the Phoenix King and proclaiming Azula as the new Fire Lord."

There was a tinge of disgust in his tone as he continued, "The Fire Nation is not a toy one can just give to a child, especially to a girl who was clearly unstable. It shows a lack of judgment and a careless disregard for our country that I find abhorrent. I believe that you, Prince Zuko, will show a better sense of stewardship of our nation than your father or sister displayed, and that it is why I am giving you my support."

 _I suppose that makes sense…and I did just tell Masato and Kenshin that I wanted to give everyone a chance._

Zuko nodded curtly. "I do appreciate your support, Ichiro. I don't want to turn away anyone's assistance just because of their previous affiliation, so I will offer you the same terms as the other generals. You will have your rank returned to you, so long as you swear an oath of loyalty to me."

A flash of emotion crossed the general's face, but almost instantly he smoothed his features. It happened so quick that Zuko almost didn't detect it. Perhaps it was anger, or indignation, but Zuko couldn't be sure. When Ichiro spoke, however, his voice was as smooth as ever, "If that is what you require, Your Highness, I will give it."

Ichiro then swiftly sank down to one knee, and with a face that could have been carved from stone, he solemnly gave his pledge. "By my life and honor, I do hereby pledge my loyalty to you, Prince Zuko, and will serve you faithfully in whatever matter you shall deem necessary. This I swear, before those present and by Agni himself."

Once he had risen, Zuko addressed him. "Thank You, General Ichiro. I will be grateful for any and all advice you can offer in the days ahead."

"And I will gladly give it," Ichiro coolly replied, "If you don't mind, Your Highness, I will take my leave of you, now. No doubt you are busy, what with planning your coronation ceremony for the upcoming weeks."

"Actually," Zuko smiled slightly, "the coronation ceremony will be held tomorrow."

Off to his side, Kenshin jerked and nearly squeaked, "To-Tomorrow?!" If looked as if Kenshin was going to continue raving, but Masato promptly elbowed him, and the small man snapped his mouth shut.

Ichiro looked at the both of them with clear disapproval in his eyes, but he turned back to Zuko, "So soon, Prince Zuko? Surely you should take some time to rest first, and give everything a chance to settle."

"Time is something I can't afford to waste, Ichiro. The war may be officially over, but there is a lot of rebuilding that will need to be done, and the Fire Nation needs to be prepared for it. I intend to take control and get it moving in the direction it needs to go as soon as possible."

Ichiro gave him a slight bow. "It is good to know that the country is in such dedicated hands. May Agni guide your footsteps, Prince Zuko."

"Yours as well, General Ichiro."

Without further hesitation, the general turned and headed out the door, leaving a short silence in his wake. Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I think that went pretty well, considering."

But Masato didn't sound convinced. "I, on the other hand, will be keeping an extra close watch on that one. There was something about his eyes…they were too shifty for my liking."

Kenshin huffed. "As suspicious as you are Masato, I'd be more worried if you hadn't said anything at all about him."

The big man glared at him in response, but Kenshin ignored him, and instead focused on Zuko, "Now, Your Highness, about the coronation ceremony…surely you misspoke when you said it was tomorrow?"

"No, I didn't. I already spoke with Fire Sage Yuuto and arranged for the ceremony to take place tomorrow."

"But, Prince Zuko, there is too much to be done! Invitations must be sent out, then there is the feast and the dance afterwards. We can't possibly have it ready by tomorrow!"

Zuko had never really liked attending all the fancy balls and social gatherings, so the thought of going without them didn't bother him in the least. "Kenshin, I don't care about what happens afterwards. The coronation itself is the important part, and that _is_ going to happen tomorrow, like it or not."

Kenshin took a deep breath, and explained patiently. "Your Highness, you said you wanted us to give you our opinion, so I'm offering it now. While the ceremony is undoubtedly the most important, the celebration afterwards is also important, because it gives its citizens an opportunity to relax and celebrate, and to get to know their new leader. It is a tradition that has lasted for centuries, and one that should not be so lightly tossed aside."

He couldn't help but make a sour face at Kenshin's words, which made Masato smile in amusement.

"You better get used to it, Young Prince. Your days of running wild across the countryside are over. It'll be meetings and fancy parties from here on out."

"Go ahead and smile, Masato," Zuko told him with a dirty look, "but just remember, if I have to be at these things, so do you. And if you keep on like that, I'll make you wear a uniform so thick and stiff that you'll need three people just to get you in and out of it."

That certainly wiped the smirk off of his face, meanwhile Kenshin began chuckling.

"Your Highness," Kenshin said with a shake of his head, "I get the feeling it's going to be a long and bumpy ride."

Zuko thought about the road ahead, and he wryly replied, "Kenshin, you have no idea."

* * *

Katara looked around the large, elaborately decorated room she was in with a frown. If what she was staying in could be even be called a room. Like so many other rooms in the guest wing the thing was huge, and could have easily fit at least four water tribe huts within its expanse. Katara would have much rather kept the living arrangement Zuko and she had worked out in his quarters over the last week, but that could no longer work now that the rest of her friends were here. If Sokka ever found out that Katara and Zuko had slept in the same room-even though it was in separate areas-he would probably freak out and challenge Zuko to another 'swordbending kai' right on the spot. Though to be honest, if that happened she would be more worried about her brother than Zuko.

She had only meant to come into her room to put her things away, but once she saw the grandiose bed she just _had_ to try it, and then, the next thing she knew, she was waking up from a nap. _I guess with what happened this morning and Sokka' s healing session, I was more tired than I realized._

After a nice, long stretch, Katara got up from the bed and went over to the dresser. She took one look at herself in the mirror, and upon seeing the ruffled state of her hair, she immediately went to find her hairbrush. Once she had finished taming her hair, she went over to her bags, and pulled out some of her clothes, until she found one of her new outfits. She eventually decided on a red and gold accented halter top and matching skirt that had a slit on the side to just above her knee. _Just so that I can move around unhindered…it has nothing to do with impressing Zuko…at all._

She had just finished changing when she heard a loud knock on her door, making her jump a little. After she had recovered herself, she went to open the door and saw, with a rush of excitement, that it was Zuko. Instead of just his usual tunic, however, he had on the black and gold trimmed armor that he had worn back a year ago when they had first met. He had also pulled all of his hair back and secured it with a small golden crown.

"May I come in?" he asked politely, a smile gracing his lips.

"Of course," she stepped aside to let him in, and then shut the door.

As he walked further into her room, she noticed that his movements were measured and precise, and his posture was very straight and stiff. At that moment, he looked every inch a Prince, and though he cut a very handsome and striking figure, it was so different from his usual look that it was a little unsettling to Katara. This must have shown on her face, because when he turned back to look at her, he immediately became concerned.

"What is it?" he asked as he stepped closer to her, and when she saw that same affection in his golden eyes, she realized that she was being silly. _He's still the same Zuko that I've talked to and sparred with, he just has responsibilities now, and it's something I'll just have to get used to._

"Your hair," Katara replied thoughtfully, "I think I prefer it down."

"My hair?" Zuko sounded confused, and he froze when she reached up on her tiptoes and carefully unpinned his crown, freeing his hair. She quickly set the items aside and then used her hands to unabashedly mess up his hair. When his black strands of hair once again fell gracefully into his face, she sat back on her heels again, pleased with the outcome.

"There," she announced, and chuckled a little at his perplexed expression, "that's much better."

A slight hue of pink colored his cheeks, "Oh. It's just that, since more people are now back in the palace and I've made my official pronouncement and everything…I kinda need to look my best…and my new secretary Kenshin said that-"

Whatever else Zuko had to say was thoroughly silenced the moment that Katara pressed her lips firmly onto his. His firm, yet soft lips were still for the first part of the kiss, but when the shock wore off, he began to return her kiss with equal fervor. The heat and feel of him was intoxicating, and it threatened to overwhelm her senses. She loved the feel of his hand as it rested on her cheek, and the way he tasted on her lips. When he slowly broke away from her lips, she was definitely feeling heady, and slightly out of breath. She was pleased to note that Zuko's face held the same flush of emotions.

A small laugh escaped him, "If I start talking too much again, you have my permission to silence me whenever you deem it necessary."

 _I like the sound of that._ She playfully replied, "Like right now?"

Instead of answering, he leaned in and kissed her again. It was a strong and passionate kiss, one that lifted her up on her toes and made her lean into him even more. She regretted not being able to get closer to him, due to the armor, but even that thought melted away as he took his other hand and placed it behind her neck, and deepened the kiss. Her whole body tingled and pulsed with a delightful warmth, yet every time he rubbed a little circle on the back of her neck, it sent a shiver down the length of her.

Suddenly, he removed both his hands and their kiss ended abruptly. When she opened her eyes, she saw him take a slow, deep breath.

"Zuko, are you okay?" When Katara took one of his hands in hers, she noticed it trembled slightly.

"Yeah…I just need a moment," he offered her a small smile, and then he admitted, a little shyly, "You have quite an effect on me."

She leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "The feeling is mutual."

They shared a smile, and then Zuko squeezed her hand before he let it go. He then reached and untied a small pouch from around his waist, but before he opened it, he glanced at her a little anxiously.

"Katara, I wanted to ask you something."

Something was definitely making him nervous, and she was very curious as to why. She didn't have to wait long though, because he opened up the pouch and emptied out something small into his hand. When she looked closer, she realized that it was the dragon charm that he had bought earlier that morning.

"I didn't really think about it when I bought it this morning, and I don't really have a use for it, so I was wondering if you wanted to have it." He immediately winced a little. "No, wait...that came out wrong. I mean, I know it's not a proper gift like you deserve, I just thought of you when I looked at it, so I wanted to ask-"

Katara put her finger on his lips to silence his stuttering, "I knew what you meant, Zuko." She brought her hand away and picked up the little charm from his palm, and smiling, told him, "I'd love to have it, as a reminder. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he relaxed again, and gave her a smile that instantly warmed her heart.

After a moment, his expression changed as a thought seemed to occur to him, "I don't know if you've heard already, but my coronation ceremony is going to take place tomorrow. By then, all the war prisoners should be released, so we will have people from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes attending as well."

His words made Katara think of her father, and her mood immediately sank. _I haven't seen him since that day at the Western Air Temple…I hope he's alright . I don't know what I'd do if I lost him… No, he has to be okay. I can't let myself think otherwise._

Zuko took her hand, "You were thinking about your father, weren't you?"

When she nodded, he continued, "I know firsthand how strong and smart your father is, Katara. I'm sure Hakoda and the others will be here soon. More than likely, they're here in the Fire Nation, and when they hear that Ozai has been defeated, they'll come here to the capital."

 _That does make sense. Dad is a tough guy, if he's made it this far, he'll be able to find us again._

She already felt a little better, and Zuko must have sensed it, because he jokingly commented, "Knowing those guys, if they hear that there's a party going on, they'll make sure not to miss it"

"What party?" she asked him curiously.

He gave a weary sigh. "After the coronation ceremony, there's going to be a big celebration and a dance. It's going to be a huge affair, unfortunately."

Katara had to struggle to hide her amusement at his apparent discomfort. "It doesn't sound that terrible. It's just some food and dancing."

"Yeah, but I always hated dancing, and tomorrow I'm going to be forced to dance with dozens of people who I hardly know or have never even met before."

She smiled coyly at him, "Well, I think I know how to solve that problem."

He looked genuinely surprised, "Really? How?"

"It's simple. Every time someone tries to dance with you, just politely tell them no, and dance with me instead."

Zuko grinned. "That would definitely make the evening more enjoyable. Though it might be a little suspicious that I have the same dance partner all evening long."

Katara shrugged. "I could say that I'm your healer and I need to stay by your side at all times for medical reasons. No one should question a Master Waterbender."

He reached over and gently caressed her cheek. "You have no idea how tempting an offer that is right now." Leaning close, he gave her a soft, but quick kiss. "I need to get going. I promised Kenshin I'd go over some more paperwork with him this evening, and if I don't meet him, he's probably going to start tearing down the palace looking for me."

"Who is this Kenshin?"

"My new secretary," he answered as he walked over to her dresser. He picked up his crown and proceeded to put his hair back up in its proper place.

She was already starting to miss him, and he hadn't even left yet, "Will you be at dinner later?"

Zuko grimaced. "With as much stuff as I have to get through before tomorrow, not likely. And then later tonight I have a special errand to attend to."

"What kind of errand?"

He was already heading to the door when he called over his shoulder, "I'm going to visit a friend, and most importantly…find some answers."

* * *

"Hey, Sugar Queen!"

Katara was heading outside to some of the training grounds at the back of the palace, but she stopped when she heard the young earthbender's voice.

"Yes, Toph?"

"Mind if I tag along? I need something to do," When Toph caught up to her, she made a sour face, "Snuffles and Smoochy are in their rooms making out, Sparky is running all around the palace being official-like, and somehow Twinkle Toes vanished on me, so that only leaves you."

"Oh, well, I'm actually going to meet Aang now. I promised him that we'd practice this afternoon. _And then we need to have a 'little chat'._

"Judging by your sudden spike in your pulse, I'm guessing that's not the only thing on your agenda."

Katara huffed, "You know, I can't tell you how annoying it is that I can't keep a secret from you."

Toph grinned, "I know. It's pretty awesome."

She rolled her eyes at the other girl's callousness, but then became serious, "Listen Toph, I'm going to need some one-on-one time with Aang, but maybe you could kinda stick around, close by. Just in case, you know…for afterwards."

Toph's reply was sharp and blunt, "So basically, you want me to stick around to comfort Aang after you've crushed his false hopes."

Katara winced at her remark, but couldn't fault her for saying it, because it wasn't entirely untrue. "Well, it is Aang…"

"Fine, Sugar Queen, I'll stick around," Toph grumbled, "But you so owe me for this."

"I know. I'll find a way to make it up to you."

"Yeah, sure…whatever," Toph muttered, and when they reached the training grounds, she headed off in the other direction.

"Hey Katara!" Aang waved at her when he noticed her out on the grounds.

She tried to put as much excitement in her voice as she could muster, but she was afraid it wasn't enough, "Hey, Aang."

Aang trotted up to meet her, and he broke out into a huge smile, "Man, it's been forever since we last practiced. In fact, I may have even surpassed the master now."

That certainly got her focused on the task at hand, "Oh, really? I think I could still teach you a thing or two."

She relaxed as they began to fall into their regular routine, and she took a position close to one of the large water fountains nearby.

"Alright, Mr. High and Mighty," she smiled as she teased him, "Let's see how fast you can follow my moves."

"Let's do this," he determinedly replied, standing a little ways away from her, but still close to the fountain.

Her mind now calm and focused, Katara eagerly tapped into her waterbending and started to move the water towards her. She immediately flowed into a specific bending move, and made a very large and extensive octopus form, and quickly tried to strike out at Aang. He had made his own octopus just a split second after hers, however, and it was even a slightly larger and longer than hers was, and so her attack was easily defeated. But instead of attacking with it again, she smoothly transitioned into a new form, and created two spinning water wheels, one horizontal and vertical, that began to throw out small, condensed water slivers in Aang's direction. Once again, however, he was able to duplicate her two water wheels and also make an extra water shield that absorbed every one of the slivers.

 _Okay, so now let me really turn up the heat._ Gritting her teeth in concentration, Katara began to split several streams of water, leaving one really large and making dozens of tiny ones. She then used the large stream and used it as a large water jet that she aimed directly at Aang, while she instantly turned all the smaller streams into ice shards and threw them in the area just around him. Though his response wasn't so instantaneous this time, he created his jet stream and absorbed hers before it was able to reach him, and stopped her ice shards with an ice shield of his own. He then broke his shield apart into a dozen pieces and threw them back towards Katara, though not nearly as fast as she had.

Katara nimbly grabbed the ice shards out of the air with her waterbending, and grew them larger, making sure to stretch them out vertically and widen them, until she had several large columns of ice. Once she was satisfied at their size, she propelled them forward, making them come at different angles towards Aang. Aang's arms worked furiously to create some ice columns of his own, but he had only made half as many by the time the columns had reached him. As the last of her ice attacks approached Aang from all sides, he made a ball of air underneath his feet and flipped high up into the air, vaulting over all her ice columns, and landed safely nearby. He knew that he had broken the rules, however, and so he had a sheepish look on his face as he walked up to her.

There was a slight smugness to her tone, "So, what was that again about being the new master?"

Aang smiled as he clasped his hands together and bowed to her. "It appears I still have much to learn, Master Katara."

"That's right," she playfully admonished him, "and don't you forget it."

His expression became more serious. "I am thankful to have such a great teacher. Now that the war is over, we'll have a lot of time together, and we can really focus on my water bending mastery."

Katara knew what he was alluding to, and her good mood instantly vanished, "Yeah… lots of time."

 _This is it. I have to tell him. It's now or never._

"Um, Aang, I…uh, need to talk to you about something."

Aang plopped down on the edge of the water fountain, and cheerfully asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

His happy demeanor only served to make Katara feel worse, and her anxiety was steadily increasing with each breath she took. She took a seat next to him on the water fountain, and nervously began to play with a strand of her hair.

"We've always been really good friends, Aang, and, as crazy as it sounds, I've really enjoyed all the time we've been able to spend together. So…I want you to know that you will always have a special place in my heart-"

"-I feel the same way too," he excitedly interrupted her, "and I think that all that stuff we've been through has only brought us closer together."

 _Perhaps a subtle approach might work._ "Yeah, it has…and that's why I think of you as like a best friend, and I don't want that to change."

Her subtlety was lost on him, however, because he immediately went on with his own train of thought. "Katara, do you remember that night when we watched that play about us?"

Katara made a distasteful face. "Ugh, believe me, I wish I _could_ forget that horrid excuse for a play."

"Yeah, it was pretty bad," Aang admitted with a rueful grin, and he seemed very calm. "Well, you see, I've been thinking about what you said to me that night, about you needing more time, and I've realized that you're right."

 _Wait…did he just say what I think he said…_

But before Katara had a chance to process what he said, Aang continued on, his expression patient, but hopeful. "I don't want to rush into anything that you're not ready for. I want to do this the right way. I mean, we're still young and we'll have the rest of our lives together, so we can take it slow and I'll be okay with that. So I don't want you to worry."

Katara was, quite literally, shocked speechless. His reaction was so different from what she had been expecting that she couldn't even begin to think about what to say in response. Her expression and lack of speech must have worried Aang, because a panicked look crossed his face and he jumped up from his seat in distress.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Katara. We can go as fast or slow as you want…I just want to make you happy."

She should have told him right then. She should have spoken the words that needed to have already been said several times over. He deserved the truth, and he needed to hear it. The words had already formed in her mind, she only needed to say them out loud…but the agony and indecision of those words paralyzed her.

 _Aang, I'm sorry, but I don't love you…my heart belongs to someone else._

Katara opened her mouth to tell him…and then she stared directly into his big, brown eyes, eyes that seemed to pierce her soul, and the words died on her tongue. She couldn't have looked away from his gaze if her life depended on it, and she could feel her resolve and willpower crumble to dust.

 _Dear spirits, how can I look at him with that love and trust in his eyes, and practically rip his heart out?_

"I… I just," Katara was finally able to look away, and her words came out in a tumbled rush, "I just need some space, and some time. I don't even know what I want to do now or where I want to go. And there's so much to do…at the Northern Water Tribe, and my village…"

Her voice trailed off pathetically, and when she sneaked a peek at his face, it was still peaceful and patient. "That's okay, Katara, I understand. You know, Appa and I can take you to wherever you want to go. It would be like old times again, just traveling the world on one adventure after another. Wouldn't that be great?"

"Yeah…great," she responded half-heartedly. _What's wrong with me? This wasn't how it was supposed to go at all!_

"Are you okay, Katara?"

She heard the concern in his question, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him, so she resolutely stared at the ground. "I just started feeling a little off. I'm not sure I can finish our practice today."

"It's alright. We can practice another time. Do you need anything?"

When she shook her head, he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Okay, I'll see you later, Katara."

She heard him leave, but she didn't move from her seat on the water fountain. Her words kept replaying over and over again in her head, a relentless reminder of the consequences she would have to face sooner or later. _Why does everything have to be so difficult and so hard? Couldn't have it been easy, for just this once?_ At some point, she heard a different set of footsteps approach her, and she could guess who it was.

"So, judging by the happy tone and upbeat step I sensed from Twinkle Toes, I take it you didn't tell him," there was no mistaking the disapproving tone in Toph's voice, "Again."

"I just couldn't do it Toph…I can't just break his heart like that," Katara hid her face in her hands, to try to shut out the reality of the situation.

But the other girl's voice was unforgiving, "It's only going to hurt him worse the longer you wait, especially if he finds out from someone else."

"I know," she moaned miserably, "I'm a horrible person."

"No, you're not," Toph lightened up just a little, "But for being such a smart person, you sure have pulled some pretty stupid stuff."

 _Typical Toph…just as blunt as ever, but she does have a point._

Her friend then came and sat next to her, and for a long time, all they did was sit in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Even though Toph didn't say anything to her, it still comforted Katara in a way, strangely enough.

Eventually, Katara broke the silence, "I'm not sure what I should do now."

"Well, there's nothing else you _can_ do about it right now," the earthbender then got up, "So, do you want to rematch?"

The question took Katara by surprise, and her first instinct was to refuse, but the more she thought about it, the better the idea sounded. "Actually, yes. I think I do."

A large grin appeared on Toph's face, "Excellent. But I'm warning you, I'm not going to take it easy on you."

Katara's reply was grim. "Good. I'm counting on it."

* * *

"Captain, if I may?"

Masato looked up from the map he was studying on his desk, and frowned at the young man in front of him. Like so many of the servants in the palace, the boy probably came from a poor family who lived close by, and saw working at the palace as a way to make an adequate living. Which was all well and good, but it made checking the backgrounds of every person who worked at the royal palace a very monumental, and painstaking, task. _Agni, what did I let that spoiled princeling talk me into?_

"Go ahead."

The youth seemed to prepare himself for an onslaught, and considering Masato's mood, maybe it wasn't totally unwarranted, "Sir, it's Prince Zuko…he's gone."

"What do you mean, 'he's gone'?"

"Just that, sir. He's not in the palace, and no one seems to know where he is. But he did leave this."

With his hand visibly shaking, the servant reached into a pouch around his waist and pulled out a piece of parchment, thrusting it as Masato, "We found this in his office. It's addressed to you."

He quickly grabbed the paper from the boy's hand, and after verifying the Prince's personal seal, opened it and began reading.

 _Dear Masato,_

 _I am sure, by now, you are aware of the fact that I am no longer in the palace. By the time you are reading this, however, I will have been long gone, so any attempts to find me will be both unnecessary and unsuccessful. I regret having to resort to this deception, but there is something that I must do tonight, and I must do it alone. You don't need to worry, however, because I will be in the good hands of a very capable friend of ours. I will return as soon as possible._

 _Prince Zuko_

"Agni, that boy is going to be the death of me, I just know it," Masato muttered in frustration. He knew he probably didn't need to, but he still couldn't help but worry about the young prince. Zuko's safety wasn't just a job to him, it was something he wanted to do, as a friend. Of course, if he had known how much of a royal pain in the neck his friend was going to be when he signed up for the job, he might have changed his mind. _No, I still would have taken the job…but I sure as hell would have asked for a larger pay._

"Is everything all right, sir?" the servant asked anxiously.

"Just dandy," he answered dryly as he walked back to his desk and once again sat down. "Prince Zuko is out on business and will return shortly. Right now, I need you to go and find First Secretary Kenshin. It's important that I speak to him."

As an afterthought he added, half-joking, half-serious, "And if he tries to give an excuse, let him know that he can either come on his own terms, or I can physically retrieve him myself."

"Yes, sir." The young man nodded and swiftly left the room, once again leaving Masato to his thoughts. _Knowing Zuko, there is only one place he would go tonight that's this close to the palace. And he'd better come back in one piece, or I'm going to have two scrawny necks to ring._

With a sigh, the large man bent over the map strewn across his desk, and once again focused his thoughts on one of the many tasks that lay ahead.

* * *

Author's Note: I've added another OC to this story in the form of Kenshin, Zuko's new loyal secretary :-) Zuko has a lot of responsibilities that he is taking on as he continues on his journey to becoming Fire Lord, and I thought he would need some help with the bureaucratic and security side of things. I hope you've enjoyed my OCs so far; Liem, Masato, and Kenshin will continue to help Zuko on his journey ;-)

So Katara once again didn't have her important talk with Aang... I think because in her own way she has a soft spot for Aang. Ever since she's rescued him from the iceberg Katara seems to be very protective of Aang, and this is now manifesting her inability to be truthful with him-which could come back to haunt her if she's not careful.

Hope you enjoyed the update. Thanks again for reading!


	10. Revelations and Dark Agendas

Journal Entry –

Everybody gets scared and makes mistakes, and I guess I'm no exception to the rule. I have certain expectations of myself, and after facing multitudes of enemy soldiers, sea serpents, and deranged firebenders I thought I had achieved a certain level of fearlessness, but I was wrong. I never thought something so simple-sounding as telling my friend the truth would be, in reality, one of the hardest things I've ever done. I've just grown so used to our little family, to them always being there for me and helping me no matter how tough it gets, and I don't want it to end. And I'm scared that I'll lose one of my best friends. Aang has always been like my guiding light, the one who I could always turn to when I need some hope, or even just a smile. I guess it's the fear of losing that friendship that keeps me from doing what I know I should...

After spending most of the evening secluded in my room, I decided to go try and find Toph again. Lately, I have found our talks to be very enlightening, and even somewhat comforting, and at that point I definitely could have used some more of both. When I exhausted my search inside the palace, I went out to where Appa was staying near the stables, and that's where I found Toph and Aang, both covered head to toe in grass and mud, and in the middle of a giggling fit. I decided to stay out of sight for a moment, just to see if they were okay, of course, when they calmed down enough to start talking. As I watched them talk and goof around, I couldn't help but notice that Toph seemed a little more cheerful and playful than usual, considering her usual gruff front that she puts up. Right before she left, she even told Aang that there were plenty of girls in the world, so maybe he should keep his options open. Did she say that just to help me and my cause, or was it motivated by something else? Could Toph maybe have a thing for?—No, I'm probably just making something out of nothing here. It is Toph, after all.

I then later went to see how my brother was doing, and, despite his incessant moaning and complaining, he's doing just fine. The healing for his leg is coming along nicely, but it will take a few more sessions and a little more time before it's completely done. Suki stopped by my room later, and we had, as my brother would call it, a 'girly-girl chat', which is always fun, because I love spending time with Suki. She asked me something, however, that caught me by surprise, though now that I think of it, it shouldn't have. She asked if I really liked her as a friend, and if I thought we could eventually become something more than friends. I told her yes, of course, but I was a little confused on why she had asked. She got kinda shy, but did confess that she does love Sokka, and he loves her, and that their relationship is getting serious, so she was just thinking of the future. I am naturally happy for them because I love them both, and I think they make such a perfect couple, but it also seems very sudden and unexpected. Or maybe it just seems that way now because we don't have a war to focus on anymore. Then again, I guess the same could be said for me and Zuko… and I suppose it was that train of thought that made me ask Suki how she knows that she really loves my brother. I think she knew that I wasn't asking as an overprotective sister, and after a moment, she told me. When you find that special person, the one that you feel inexplicably drawn to, and know that you can't be without, it just clicks…and you know.

After Suki left, I kept thinking about what she said. Even now as I write, my mind wrestles with Suki's words and what that could mean about my feelings for Zuko. Though I know my own desires, I am still too scared to admit it, to cement my feelings into that simple, four letter word… But what else could it be? It's crazy, and complicated, and impossible, but the simple truth is that I cannot imagine my world without Zuko.

The thing is, I know what I want. Now I have to find the courage to follow my heart.

* * *

Crouched absolutely still, Zuko looked across to the rooftop on the next building, and studied the lone man perched along its furthest edge. Just like Zuko, he wore dark clothes that make him nearly impossible to see in the dark, and if Zuko hadn't been so thorough in his surveillance, he probably would have missed him. For now, he patiently waited, to see if the man would move, and also so he could figure out what to do next. He definitely didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, so confronting the man or using his firebending was out of the question. With the light of the moon, he could just make out what looked like empty boxes or crates strewn haphazardly across the whole of the building's flat surface. Perhaps if he drew the other's attention away from his direction, even if for a moment, it might work…

 _Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best._

Zuko could hear his uncle's words play through his mind as he looked around his area and picked up a few stray pebbles. He then quickly, but inconspicuously, threw them just off to the side and behind the man. The instant the other man turned around to look at what caused the noise, Zuko swiftly and silently crossed the gap between the two buildings and moved to the nearest crate. After checking that the stranger's attention was still occupied, Zuko used the cover of darkness to carefully move from box to box until he had reached the other side of the building. In one fluid motion, he flung himself over the edge, but kept a firm grip on the ledge, so that, for a moment, he hung from the side of the building, out of sight. With a quick look behind him at the building next to him, he mentally judged the distance between the two buildings and jumped, easily clearing the three foot gap to grab the ledge on the other side. He maneuvered himself sideways along the building, until he was satisfied that he had put enough distance between him and the man he had left behind. Soon enough, he was back on the rooftops again, and he continued on his way, until he reached his final destination.

When he stepped on the roof of this particular building, Zuko cautiously looked around to see if he could spot anyone else in his area, but there was no one in sight. Since there wasn't anything to use as cover on the rooftop, Zuko was pretty confident that he was alone. He relaxed, ever so slightly. He was debating on what to do next, when the barest hint of a noise caught his attention. Immediately, he knew that someone else was near, and they were close. Reaching behind him with both hands, he grabbed the hilts of his two dao swords strapped across his back. He had taken them halfway out of their sheaths when he felt the sharp point of a blade press lightly against a spot just to the right of his spine. Zuko instantly froze, and offered a quick plea to Agni that this moment would not be his last.

"Not too bad for a spoiled princeling," a very familiar, and very young voice quietly told him, "though you still have a lot to learn if you want to catch up to me."

The point of the blade abruptly vanished, and Zuko turned to face his ambusher, his tone a mixture of both relief and irritation. "Liem! Agni, for a moment there I thought you were going to make a corpse out of me!"

Even in the dark, Zuko could make out the large impish grin that spread across the young scoundrel's face. "What, and nix my highest paying customer? Wouldn't be good for business."

Zuko shook his head in exasperation. "And how did you even know it was me? I could have been just another thief or smuggler roaming the rooftops."

Liem snorted. "No respectable thief carries oversized swords big enough to skewer a moose lion. By the time you whip those metal sheers out, I could've run you through twice over with my little knife here. That, and the fact that those two blades look nice enough to be worth a whole year's work for most people kinda gave it away too."

 _I guess that was my fault for asking,_ Zuko thought wryly. He decided it was a good time to get to the main point. "Look, I came because I need your help with something. Is there someplace we can go to talk?"

"Yeah, sure. Just leave it to me," Liem answered smugly, and when he headed to the ledge nearby, Zuko followed him.

They dropped down to the street below, and then Liem lead him to the back of a nearby building, which, judging by the racket coming from within, was probably a popular inn or bar. When they approached the back door, Liem paused before knocking on it, and turned to Zuko with a patronizing look.

"I'd love to make it in and out of this place in one piece, so if anyone asks, you're going be 'Lee'. And let me do the talking. I know the lady who runs this place, so it should be a sure thing to get a room for us to use. Got it?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I got it."

Satisfied, Liem knocked on the door, and soon it opened, to reveal a young lady wearing an apron. When she realized who it was, she crossed her arms and scowled, but soon even that twisted up into a smile.

"Liem! You little scoundrel, Mistress Naomi has been looking all over for you."

A charming smile stole onto the young boy's face, and his voice became as smooth as silk. "Mina, you're looking lovelier than ever tonight. And by that smile of yours, you seem happy to see me, too."

Zuko was a little taken aback at the boy's brazenness, but Mina seemed to take it as matter-of-fact.

"Aww, thank you, sugar," she beamed at his compliment, but quickly became serious again, "But you still have to see Mistress Naomi tonight, and _this_ time, there's no wiggling out of it."

"Why? What happened?" Zuko whispered to Liem, and when the girl turned to lead them into the building, Liem's smile disappeared.

"It's nothing. Just a misunderstanding."

"And why do I find that hard to believe?" Zuko muttered, but he nonetheless followed Liem through the doorway.

They had stepped into the back of the kitchen, and were immediately greeted by several aromas that came from the many pots that were cooking on the stoves. Zuko's stomach growled, reminding him that it was not pleased that he had skipped supper, but Zuko ignored it as he continued through the kitchen, behind Mina and Liem. When they had reached the hallway leading to the other rooms, heavy footsteps suddenly came close, and soon enough their path was blocked by a very determined and large woman with steely eyes. Her gaze narrowed when it focused in on Liem, and when she put her bulging arms on both her hips, Liem had the good sense to appear a little nervous.

"Ah…Mistress Naomi…I swear by Agni's good graces that every time I see you, your beauty grows by leaps and bounds-"

His blatant flattery, however, had no effect whatsoever on the woman, and if anything, her frown deepened. "-Aye, enough of that now. I've been easy on you, boy, because you're young, and, despite that mouth of yours, I like you. And because, in many ways, you remind me of my late husband when he was young, spirits grant him peace. I've put up with your shenanigans time and time again, but I'll not tolerate it when you cause a scene in my bar and things end up getting damaged because of it."

Liem feigned innocence. "It was that big lumbering oaf that started the whole thing, not me. I just happened to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time."

"Don't even try the blameless act with me, boy. I know your wily ways, and if I had to guess, I'd say that you deliberately ducked so that he'd slug that large man behind you-"

"It's not my fault he couldn't aim a punch to save his mother's life-"

"-And then I found out later that the whole reason the man was in there was just to find you and take back the money you stole from him."

Liem began to retort when Naomi pointed her finger accusingly at him, and he wisely remained silent.

"I already know what you're going to say, that you're are as innocent and sweet as the day you were born, and it was all just a big misunderstanding. Well, I don't want to know, and most importantly, I don't care. I made sure to collect some of my reparations from the other men, and now you need to pick up the difference."

The large woman then held out her hand, and after a long moment, Liem reluctantly opened a pouch tucked away on his side, and proceeded to put two silvers in her hand. When she continued to stare at him, saying nothing, he eventually sighed and added another silver piece to the pile. This still didn't please her, though, and she even made it a point to clear her throat, while still staring hard at the boy.

"Ah, come on, Mistress Naomi," he pleaded with her, "you're bleeding me dry…I'm not gonna have anything left."

"Ha! I know for a fact that you're not so bad off as you make out to be. And seeing as how I feed you half the time, you aren't starving either. Now, hand over another three silvers, and I'll call it good."

Liem mumbled something under his breath, but he did eventually comply, and handed the money over. Naomi nodded in satisfaction, and then looked at Liem curiously.

"Now, I know you didn't just come here out of the goodness of your little heart. So, what do you need now?"

He smiled gingerly, "I just need a room for a little bit. Me and my friend just need to catch up, so to speak. Preferably one right above the den?"

Naomi then looked over at Zuko and studied him briefly, but thankfully, with his outfit and his hair covering most of his scar, she didn't recognize him.

"Alright, I'll let you have one. I'll have one of the girls show you to it," she then looked around, and when she saw one of the girls walk by, she addressed them, "Jayia!"

The dark-haired girl quickly came over to them, "Yes, Mistess Naomi?"

"Show these two to a room on the second floor, down the left hallway."

"Yes, ma'm," the girl answered, and then turned down the corridor.

Zuko and Liem followed her as she made her way through the hallway, and up the stairs to the next floor. As soon as the girl stopped in front of the room and told them it was theirs, she was off without another word, leaving Zuko and Liem alone again. The room they stepped into was very small and bare, with one small bed, table, and chair as the only furniture. The noise coming from the bar area directly below them was a constant murmur in the background.

"So why this room in particular?" Zuko asked Liem as the boy plopped down onto the lone chair.

"Simple. The more noise there is, the harder it is to eavesdrop."

 _I never really thought of it like that. Pretty clever, I have to give him that._ He felt he was too anxious to sit, so he remained standing, and brought up the reason for his visit. "I need your help, Liem."

Smiling, Liem sarcastically asked, "What, you have another prison break in mind?"

"No, this is far more serious, and dangerous."

Zuko then pulled out the same piece of parchment he had shown Masato and Kenshin, and showed Liem the symbol he had drawn. "I need to know if you've ever seen this symbol before."

This time, his drawing produced the recognition he had hoped for, but the boys's reaction was completely unexpected. The instant Liem had set his gaze on the symbol, his eyes widened in fear, and his whole face went white as a sheet.

"Yeah…I've seen it before, and I never want to see it again for the rest of my natural life."

Liem pushed the paper back to Zuko, and he noticed, with some alarm, that the boy's hand had shaken ever so slightly during the action. "Sorry, Zuko, I never thought I'd say this but…I can't take your money on this one. I got tangled up with these people once a few months ago, and I swore never again." He then rubbed his arms nervously. "Why do you even wanna know?"

 _I have to protect Katara._ That was the thought that instinctively came to Zuko's mind, but out loud he said, "I need to find out who they are, and where I can find them."

Liem shook his head viciously, "Oh no, you don't understand who you're dealing with. You don't just find these people and try to have a chat with them. _They_ find _you_ , and when they do, it's gonna to be an unpleasant experience, one that you _hope_ you're going live through."

Zuko's hands clenched in anger. "Regardless, I have to find out more about them, so I need you to tell me what you know."

"You want me to tell you what I know?" Liem's voice grew with a sense of urgency, "Fine, it's gonna be short and sweet. I was paid to tail a guy a couple months ago, and they didn't tell me anything about him, but they had a lot of coin, so I took the job. So I went and followed the guy into a bar in the nicer part of town, and saw him join some others at a table that all had that same freaky tattoo that he did. The whole thing started giving me the creeps, so I decided to get the hell out of there, but I barely made it out the front door when a couple of guys jumped me. They then took me into the nearby alley and started to ask me some 'questions'.

At that point, he then brought up his hand and stuck out his pointer finger, which, Zuko realized in a moment of shock and dismay, had a small chunk missing. "They put a knife to my finger, and every time I didn't answer a question, they cut a little deeper. It didn't take long to convince me to talk. Once they found out the little I knew, they let me go, with a promise that the next time I tried to follow any of them, they would cut off _all_ the fingers on _both_ of my hands."

"I'm sorry, Liem," Zuko honestly didn't know what else to say.

Liem dropped his hand back down, and continued, ignoring his comment. "A few weeks later, I tried to ask some of my contacts about these people, since the damn bastards hadn't even told me who they were with during the whole ordeal, and only one guy could tell me about them, and even that was just a few sentences. These people are part of a very selective and secretive underground group, called the Sons of Sozin."

He had never heard of them before, and he was a little surprised at their name. "Why do they call themselves the 'Sons of Sozin'?

Liem's voice was thick was sarcasm. "Because Sozin wanted a private hit squad of his own? I don't you, Your Royal-ness. Forgive me for not chit-chatting with them about the history of their society while they were slicing my finger open."

Zuko huffed. "Alright, forget I asked." The thought of a mercenary group using his great-grandfather's name did irk him a little, but he probably shouldn't have been surprised. There were a lot of things named after his recent ancestors, so he supposed it was only natural that people would use their names in return.

"Anyways," Liem continued in a more explanatory tone, "The 'Sons' operate as an exclusive only type of group. They apparently only offer their 'services' to the high and mighty, and very well paid."

"What kind of services?"

"What do ya think? Assassinations, information, trafficking, all the usual illegal stuff, except that they make sure to clean up house afterwards…keep everything hush-hush and no one the wiser. In other words, you don't wanna mess with these guys, so I suggest you lose interest in them."

"Except that's not an option for me," Zuko could feel some of the cold fury seep into him again, "I have to find them."

"But why?"

"Because…" _I can't bear the thought of losing Katara, "_ …someone hired them to kill me and Katara."

"WHAT?!"

With a groan, Liem buried his head in his hands and then abruptly dropped his head to the table, where he began muttering to himself. "I knew it. That day of the prison break, I should have just ignored the two of them and let them keep going, but _nooo_ , I just _had_ to talk to them, and take them to that damn prison. Now I'll have to hunt down a whole hoard of sadistic, knife-wielding freaks that want to use me as their personal pincushion. I'm gonna end up with no fingers at best, or in a shallow grave at worst."

 _Okay, I definitely don't need the kid to freak out on me._ "Liem, I just came here for information. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to." When the boy didn't answer, Zuko came over and put his hand on Liem's shoulder. "And I _am_ grateful for all your help."

Without moving, Liem heaved a big sigh. "Guess this is what I get for hanging around people with consciences." After some silence, Liem then straightened up. "I'll help you find the Sons of Sozin."

"No, Liem," Zuko answered firmly," I don't want you getting involved with these people. You've already given enough information for me to start my search. Just tell me where this bar is that you saw them at, and I'll take care of it."

"Like hell you will," there was a stubborn set to the boy's face now, "If I let you or Masato handle this by yourselves, you'll either end up scaring them off, or wind up with knives in your backs. I've already dealt with them once, and you're gonna need my expertise if you even hope to come close to finding them again."

"Are you sure about this?"

When the two of them locked gazes, Zuko could see the resolve in the boy's eyes, as clear as day, "Yeah, count me in."

Satisfied with his answer, Zuko then pulled out a coinpurse and put it on the table next to Liem. "There's part of your payment in advance. The rest can come afterward."

But, to Zuko's amazement, Liem picked up the coinpurse and then handed it straight back to him. "I'm not doing this as a job. If someone's after you and Katara, I want to help." While Zuko was still speechless from shock, Liem became uncharacteristically shy and embarrassed, "I mean… you guys are crazy, but you're nice, too, ya know? And I guess I like hanging around you… so I that's why I want to help."

That brought a smile to Zuko's face. _He pretends to be a tough guy, but deep down, he wants to do the right thing… just like I used to._ "Thanks, Liem. I have to admit, you've grown on me, too."

"Yeah, yeah…I don't need you getting all mushy on me now," Liem cleared his throat, and some of his usual cockiness returned, "So, do you have a game plan for this suicidal mission?"

"I need you to head to Harbor City, as soon as you're able."

Liem looked confused, "But why Harbor City?"

"That's where they attacked us, so I think its best that we start there first."

The boy gave him a mock salute, "You're the boss."

Zuko then proceeded to tell Liem everything, or nearly everything, that had happened before or after the attack in the city. The two of them discussed their plan of action for another hour or so, so it was near midnight before Zuko got back to the palace.

Knowing he would have to face his less-than-pleased Captain of the Guard sooner or later, Zuko decided now was as good as a time as any to let Masato know what he had found out. Just as he had thought, the large man was still up and waiting for him, and he only had to put up with a little bit of scolding from his Captain before they began discussing Liem's information. Needless to say, by the time Zuko finally climbed into his bed later that night, or morning to be exact, he was exhausted.

 _It's happening tomorrow. I'll finally be the Fire Lord. I've spent my whole life preparing for it, and now it's here._

Those same thoughts that had previously made him uncertain and anxious, now only firmed his resolve, and so it was for that night, at least, that the Prince slept peacefully.

* * *

Yoshiro fidgeted nervously as he stood in front of the closed door that led into his uncle's office. His uncle did not like to be disturbed so late in the night, and it would be even worse when he heard what Yoshiro had to tell him.

Sighing, the young man opened the door, and stepped into the large and lavishly decorated room. His uncle had his back to him, but Yoshiro could see dozens of little metal figurines on the table in front of him. Like so many other wealthy Fire Nation citizens, his uncle had an expensive hobby, and he had entire rooms of military figurine sets in his extravagant home.

Without turning, his uncle addressed him, his words callous yet precise, "I expect there to be a good reason as to why you're here at this hour."

"Forgive me, uncle, but I have news regarding our recent…request."

"And that is?"

"One of their members just contacted me and told me that they made their first move today…this morning in fact."

His uncle was silent for a moment, and when he finally spoke, there was extreme disappointment in his tone. "Seeing as how the Fire Prince still lives, their first attempt was obviously a failure."

Yoshiro nervously gulped, "It was."

"Did their man at least explain why they so foolishly exposed themselves, for nothing?"

"It seems that Prince Zuko and two of his companions came into Harbor City, right by one of their locations, so they decided to try to use it to their advantage."

"I told them not to underestimate the boy. He can be full of surprises, just like his father."

"Yes, the man told me that they almost had him, but Prince Zuko managed to generate some lightning at the last moment, and used it to escape."

A slight tinge of curiosity entered the other man's tone, "So the rumors are true. He can bend lightning, just like his father and sister."

"It appears so. But they assured me that they will not make the same mistake twice."

His uncle then picked up one of his figurines, a soldier by its appearance, and studied it closely, "Did they at least eliminate the Water Tribe girl?"

"No, Uncle, they didn't. I have to admit, I am a little confused as to why you wish her dead as well."

"Why do you ask, nephew?" There was both disapproval and scorn in his voice, "is it because she is a girl?"

Yoshiro rubbed his hands nervously, "No, uncle, it's just that …she's so young, and I don't see why she is important."

The older man then set the figure down, and walked down to the end of the table, which contained a model of a battlefield, each side with an opposing army. He lightly touched the figure sitting on a platform at the back of the army, which was most likely the commander.

"A good general collects as much information about his enemy and his position as possible. The better you understand your opponent, the more likely you are to succeed against him."

His uncle then reached over to the enemy commander, and picked him up, to examine him more closely, "You see, I have done my research on the Fire Prince and his little companions. Wherever the prince is, the water tribe girl is close by. This is also the same waterbender who traveled with the Avatar, and the same one who brought him back to life."

"But, Uncle," Yoshiro protested, "I thought those were just rumors-"

The other man held up a single finger on his other hand, and Yoshiro immediately fell silent.

"Just because something is a rumor, doesn't necessarily mean it is untrue. This is one of those times. There are witnesses that saw the Avatar take a direct hit from Princess Azula's lightning, and fall lifeless to the floor. Those same witnesses then saw a young waterbender catch the Avatar and escape with his body. Months later, the Avatar appears again, with the same girl by his side. It is the females in the water tribes, after all, that are taught the art of healing, so clearly this particular girl has achieved an advanced level of healing, and has already used it to bring one of her companions back to life."

Realization then dawned on Yoshiro, "Ah, so if something happened to Prince Zuko, the water tribe girl would be there to heal him."

"Precisely," his uncle finally turned to face Yoshiro, his gaze cold and calculating, "and that is why she is just as an important a target as the Fire Prince himself. If we wish to take him out, she must be eliminated first."

"Yes, Uncle, I understand, now."

The other man nodded, "Good. Make sure our 'friends' understand this as well."

"I will speak to the man again before the night is out. I was under the impression that their next attempt will by very soon."

"Good," his uncle turned back to his previous occupation, "If that is all, then you may leave me."

"Yes, Uncle," Yoshiro solemnly replied, and even though his uncle wasn't facing him, he still respectfully bowed, and promptly left the office.

Yoshiro's steps were quick and steady as he made his way onto the streets of the Capital City. He had a lot of things to take care of, in only a small amount of time.


	11. Choices of the Heart

**Author's Note:** This first part of this chapter takes place during the last part of "Sozin's Comet Part 4: Avatar Aang", so it will follow Zuko right before and during his coronation ceremony. This will be the last chapter of mine that will include scenes from the series. Everything afterwards now will be a 100% from my own humble imagination. This one was a lot of fun to write. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Zuko leaned against the balcony right outside his room, and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. Its brilliant rays were not only a source of heat, but also of power, and life. They seemed to resonate within him, and in his moment of self-reflection, he realized that he did feel truly happy. It was feeling that hadn't come easily or often to Zuko over the last few years, and while there were several reasons for this relatively new contentment, there was only one that remained at the fore of his thoughts at present.

Even as he envisioned Katara's lovely face and deep blue eyes, a small smile inadvertently stole onto his lips. She had come by his room first thing in the morning, so she could spend some time with him before he got swept up in all the 'chaos' of the day. It was amazing, how easily she made him laugh and smile, and though their time alone together had been short, it had also been blissful. He loved remembering how she felt in his arms, and even now he could still feel the taste of their many kisses on his lips. There was an ever-growing desire within him to spend all of his waking hours with her, and it was becoming increasingly difficult each day to resist it.

"Your Highness?"

The words snapped Zuko out of his daydreaming. With a sigh, he opened his eyes, and looked over at the large man that stepped up beside him, "Yes, Masato?"

Masato bowed in greeting. "The extra guards Takashi sent from the prison have just arrived. I'll have them start patrolling the grounds immediately."

"Good," Zuko straightened up and turned to the man, his gaze and tone conveying the seriousness of the matter, "I want everyone to keep a sharp eye out today, but I don't want any needless arrests. Understood?"

"Yes, Prince Zuko, I'll make sure they know exactly what to do." Frowning, Masato continued. "I also have another name to add to our list of newfound 'friends'."

"Really? Who is that?"

"General Shinu."

Now that was a name Zuko hadn't expected to hear. General Shinu was second in overall command of the military, and he had been a strong supporter of both his father and the brutal war against the other nations. If what Masato was saying was true, Shinu's support would significantly boost Zuko's credence, and could help him win over the rest of the Ozai's old supporters. "I'm surprised that Shinu, of all people, would change his mind so quickly."

"Well, when I explained to him that, like it or not, you were going to be crowned the new Fire Lord today, and when I went over, in extreme detail, what his alternatives were, he decided your offer was quite generous, considering."

Zuko directed a skeptical look at his security chief, "Why do I get the feeling that there was more to it than that?"

Masato shrugged. "Let's just say that I can be a persuasive speaker."

Zuko had spent enough time with the man to know that he was good for his word, so he relented. "Fair enough."

Masato pointed back to the palace. "I need to be heading back. I'll make sure to assign some of the men to keep him and the others under heavy surveillance."

Zuko nodded. "Alright, Masato, and…thanks."

The barest glimpse of a smile appeared on the other man's face. "It's my pleasure, Prince Zuko."

Masato bowed again, and promptly headed back into the palace, leaving Zuko once again to his thoughts. His tranquil mood was gone, however, at the mention of the day's events, so he decided to head back in as well.

Zuko walked back inside and found his outer robe, which he had laid on a nearby chair while he had done his meditation this morning. Usually, each member of the royal family had a whole retinue of servants that would wait on them and assist them with dressing. Although Zuko was trying his best to acclimate to palace life again, this was one area where he put his foot down. Years of independence and scraping by had ingrained in him a greater degree of self-reliance, and just the thought of someone else dressing him now seemed ridiculous. It did make getting into his formal clothes a lot more difficult, however, and time-consuming.

"You need a hand with that?"

Recognizing the voice, he looked up in surprise, to see Mai striding towards him, a slight smile on her face.

"Mai! You're okay," Zuko felt a huge surge of relief at seeing her, especially considering her daring actions that day at the Boiling Rock Prison, "I'm glad you were able to get out of the prison so soon."

"My uncle pulled some strings," she smoothly replied as she came around behind him, and helped him put on his robe the rest of the way. When Mai faced him again, she put a hand on his chest, and looked very pleased, "And it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend."

Zuko's mood instantly sobered at her words. After what she had been through, and what she had done for him, he hated that this was the first thing he had to tell her, but he wasn't going to lie to her. "Mai, we need to talk."

But Mai either misinterpreted his words, or chose to ignore them, because while he will still trying to figure out what to say, she quickly leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. The move completely took him by surprise, but once he got over his shock, he gently, but firmly, grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away, breaking the kiss. Though it had only lasted a moment, it confirmed to Zuko where his heart belonged.

"We really need to talk… _about us_ ," Zuko insisted, and he could see the surprise and confusion on her face.

"Zuko, what's going on?"

He released his grip on her, and tried to summon the right words. "A lot of things have changed since the last time we were together, Mai. _I've_ changed."

Some of her usual sarcasm finally entered her voice. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out when you decided to run off with the Avatar and then later locked me in a prison cell."

"You didn't really leave me with much of a choice, Mai. I had to do what I thought-"

"-was right," she finished his sentence for him, "I know, Zuko. With you, it's always been about what's wrong and right. You've been obsessed with your damn honor your whole life." A small smile formed on her lips as she continued, "I know you'll do whatever is necessary, and make any sacrifice to follow your sense of duty, idiotic though it may be. While I may not understand why, I've come to realize that that's just part of who you are."

"Mai…" With a pang of sadness, he knew that she was right, but it was only making this harder.

She gently placed her hand on his chest, and when he gazed into her porcelain face, for once, the nature and depth of her emotions were written there. "Look, I know that you're not the same spoiled prince who flew into a jealous rage every time a guy looked at me, and I know that everything is going to be different now, but I still came because… I like you, and I want to be with you."

Zuko closed his eyes, and braced himself for what was ahead. _I have to tell her how I feel. No matter how much it hurts._ When Zuko finally met her gaze, he saw her eyes widen, as if she finally recognized the emotion that filled his golden eyes. "Mai, I'm sorry, but…my feelings for you are different now. It can't be like that anymore between you and me."

Her arm slowly dropped back to her side, and she stared at him in disbelief. "What exactly are you saying?"

"We can't have a relationship, Mai…" He felt as if his anguish had squeezed all the breath out of him. "I..I'm not in love with you."

A glimmer of wetness appeared in the corners of her eyes… eyes that were the same color as his. She looked so uncharacteristically vulnerable at that moment that he instinctively moved to console her, but with a tremendous effort of will, he stopped himself in time. His actions hadn't gone unnoticed, however, and in a flash, the vulnerability that Mai had shown only a heartbeat ago was gone, and in its place only anger now remained.

Mai's voice seethed with a cold fury. "So, just like that, you're saying you don't have feelings for me anymore? After all the time we spent together, and after I recently _saved your life_ , you're telling me what? _That you just want to be friends_?"

It was painful to hold her gaze, and even more so to say the words, but Zuko made himself do it. "That's right."

"Why?" The hurt and betrayal he saw in her eyes cut him like a knife. "What happened, Zuko?"

He finally looked away. "It's complicated." _Please, Mai, just leave it at that. Don't ask me that question._ As he began to turn away, her words stopped him in his tracks.

"There's someone else, isn't there?"

His answer was quiet, but strained. "I think we're done here, Mai."

"Dammit, Zuko," her words both demanded and pleaded with him at the same time, "after everything we've been through, you could at least tell me that."

"Why, Mai? Will knowing make any of this better?"

"No," she replied, and on the outside, she appeared calm again, but he could still hear the underlying anger in her words, "but at least I will have a reason why."

He sighed. "…Yes, there is someone else."

Mai was silent for a while, and when she finally did speak, her voice was barely more than a whisper. "Who?"

But Zuko wasn't going to go down that path, for he knew the answer to her question would only make things worse, not better. "That doesn't matter. This is between me and you, Mai, and no one else."

She stared at him for a long time, her face unreadable, until she finally spoke in a flat tone, "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"I'm sorry it had to turn out like this Mai, but I've made my decision."

Her face once again became a neutral mask, completely void of all emotion. "Fine. If that's the case, I'll be leaving then."

Mai started to walk towards the door, and just before she reached it, she stopped, and turned back to look at him. "Just one more thing, before I go. You may have forgotten, since you've spent the majority of the last three years running around in the wilderness, but after today, you're not just going to be Zuko anymore. You're going to be the Fire Lord, and that means that every choice you make, even the personal ones, will not only affect you, but also the people you rule. So, before you make a bunch of decisions about your future, including your love life, you might want to keep that mind." She never gave him the chance to reply, for she immediately turned her back on him, and walked out of the room.

Zuko slowly sank down on the chair nearby, overwhelmed with everything that had just happened. Every time Mai's words replayed in his mind, a fresh swell of sadness and guilt swept over him. He tried to tell himself it was necessary, and needed to be done, but that thought did nothing to ease his troubles at the moment. Eventually, he heard a different pair of footsteps approach his room, and soon stop when they came close to him.

"Your Highness?" he heard Kenshin tentatively address him, and when Zuko didn't look up right away, he asked, "Are you alright?"

Zuko gave a heavy sigh. "Yes, Kenshin, just give me a moment." He closed his eyes, and ran through some calming and focusing exercises that his uncle taught him. _I have to pull myself together._ _What's done is done, so there's no use worrying about it. I have to focus now on what's ahead of me._ Zuko took one last deep breath, and stood up to face his secretary, "Alright, what is it, Kenshin?"

The small man fidgeted nervously, "We needed to go over the rest of the preparations for the coronation ceremony…and you had said to come by this morning, Prince Zuko."

"I had forgot," Zuko ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "we should still have time, though."

Kenshin straightened up, and his tone became a little cheerier. "On the bright side, Prince Zuko, I do have some good news about the terms you offered."

"I know, Masato already told me, some more of the generals accepted my offer."

"Yes, but did he also tell you that now we have enough to convene the Council?"

"No, he failed to mention that." It was good news for Zuko, because now that he had a full military council, he could start implementing some of his new measures. "Go ahead and set up a council meeting tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" his secretary protested, "But that's so soon, how am I…" Kenshin must have remembered one of their last conversations, because abruptly stopped talking, and heaved a great sigh. "Yes, Your Highness, I'll see to it."

"Thank you, Kenshin," Zuko gratefully replied, "Now, if you don't mind, I have to finish getting dressed."

The other man's eyebrow shot up. "Are you sure you don't some assistance, Prince Zuko? I could call someone in to help-".

"-No!" Zuko hurriedly interrupted, "That will be all, Kenshin."

With a nod, the small man turned and left the room, leaving Zuko once again alone with his thoughts. But he was focused now, and he stubbornly kept his mind on what was to come, and what he had been waiting and preparing for his whole life.

When the time came for him to kneel in front of the crowd and accept his crown, he did so without any fear or hesitation. Looking at Aang beside him and the rest of his friends gathered in front of him, he felt hopeful, and he knew that together, they could re-shape the world into a better place.

* * *

Katara sat in front of the dresser in her room, and gazed at the pendant in her hands, a bronze colored stone that was carved into a very ornate sun. She smiled as she remembered the day she had gotten it from Hina, the little girl they had rescued from the capital city prison. Whenever Katara looked at the pendant she thought of Zuko, and how he hadn't hesitated to go into the prison with Masato and Liem, or to stand up to the warden, simply because it was the right thing to do. Zuko…even now her heartbeat quickened ever so slightly at she remembered him at the coronation ceremony, dressed in the formal robes of the Fire Lord. The majestic robes further emphasized his height and broad shoulders, and enhanced the aura of power and strength that seemed to radiate from him. Throughout the ceremony, she had found it _very_ hard not to keep her eyes off of him…

 _When Aang approached her after Zuko's speech, she smiled at him and gave him a quick, but heartfelt hug._

" _I always knew you could do it, Aang."_

 _He looked at her quizzically, "Do what?"_

 _"Save the world, of course," she replied, which made him smile._

 _"Yeah, and I wouldn't have been able to do it with you guys." He then became serious. "Thank you, Katara." Aang reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, "For always believing in me."_

 _She returned his squeeze, "Well, that's what friends are for, right?"_

 _A thoughtful expression crossed his face, and he looked he was about to speak again, but he was interrupted as Toph zeroed in on him and practically tackled him for a hug, in an unusually enthusiastic display of emotion. Katara chuckled at Aang's predicament, and turned to looked to see where the others were. Zuko suddenly appeared in front of her, making her instantly forget about everything else. When his golden eyes locked onto hers, her breath caught, and before she knew it, she was in his arms, with her head resting in the crook of his neck. Zuko's arms tightened around her waist, drawing her closer and she sighed, enjoying the embrace. They stayed that way as long as they dared, before reluctantly breaking apart again._

 _"So, how does it feel to be the new Fire Lord?" she playfully asked him._

 _He gave her one of his heart-stopping smiles, "Right now…it feels pretty good."_

 _She returned his smile, and for a moment, neither said anything, instead being content to continue staring into each other's eyes. All too soon however, their moment was interrupted as they heard someone call out Zuko's name. When Katara looked around for the source, she happened to see her father looking at the two of them, with a slight frown on his face, but then her view of him was cut off as Chit Sang and some of their other friends grouped around Zuko, to congratulate him. What had her father seen, and more importantly, what was he thinking?_

With a slight shake of her head, Katara dismissed her thoughts and brought her attention back to the task at hand. With a last loving look at the pendant, she grabbed the chain it was suspended on and placed the necklace around her neck. She moved over to the large mirror in the room and studied her reflection. As soon as Suki had heard there was going to be a dance, she had insisted that the girls go shopping for formal dresses. After much pleading on Suki's part, Katara, and eventually Toph, had agreed. Being in the heart of the Fire Nation and on such short notice, they only had variations of red dresses to choose from. While Suki and Toph had grumbled about the lack of color schemes, Katara hadn't minded it in the least. It was Zuko's-or rather, the Fire Nation's-colors after all.

The dress she picked was a darker red, with gold trim and small, intricate designs with gold thread along the narrow waist and the bottoms of her flowing sleeves and gown. It also had a square cut neckline that was much lower than she was used to wearing, but it wasn't so low as to show too much. Her hair, which had been done by Suki and Toph just a short while ago, along with her makeup, was parted off the side and the front sections pulled to the back and pinned up, with small red and yellow flowers accenting it. Now that she had added the sun pendant, her outfit was complete, and as she admired her transformed appearance in the mirror, she could only hope that Zuko would like it as well.

There was a knock at the door, and Katara heard Suki's muffled voice, "Katara, are you ready?"

"I'm coming," she answered loudly, and with one last look, she headed to the door and stepped out into the hallway. Suki and Toph were already standing there waiting for her, each looking amazing in their own dresses. After they showered each other with compliments, Katara looked around for the guys.

"Where are the others?" Katara asked them, which caused Toph to smirk and Suki to giggle.

"They're waiting down in the main atrium," Suki answered, and then Toph elaborated. "The boys tried to come up here earlier, to see what was going on, but I told them to butt out, unless they wanted me to earthbend them permanently into the floor."

Katara chuckled. "Well, let's not keep them waiting anymore."

They headed down the hallway until it opened up into a large, open area that contained the atrium below them. The grandiose stairs that led down to floor below were wide enough that the three girls had plenty of room to walk side-by-side down its steps. Just as her friends had said, Zuko, Aang, and Sokka were already waiting at the bottom of the stairs. While Zuko and Aang were still wearing their ceremonial robes from earlier, Sokka, still with his crutch, had changed into something very similar to his previous Fire Nation outfit, except he wore long pants that were tucked into a pair of new, shiny boots. It was Sokka that was the first to see them approaching, and when his eyes centered on Suki, he looked completely dumbfounded.

Zuko, who still had his back to the girls, glanced over at Sokka, and looked at him curiously. "Sokka, you look like you've seen-" But it was at that point that Zuko finally followed Sokka's gaze up the stairs, and when his own gaze rested on Katara, he froze mid-sentence, and his jaw dropped even further, until he finally whispered, "-a ghost."

As Katara continued to descend the stairs, his golden eyes seemed to drink in every detail of her as they slowly roamed over her appearance. When his gaze again met her eyes, she could see in their depths exactly how beautiful he thought she was. Her heart seemed to start hammering double time now, and she had to take a deep breath in attempt to calm her racing pulse.

When they stepped off of the stairs and onto the main floor, Suki commented, loud enough for the guys to hear, "Well, girls, do we think that they approve?"

"If the sudden spike in their heartbeats is any indication," Toph smirked, "then the answer is 'yes'."

Their words seemed to spur the boys into action once again, and they still appeared a little star struck as they came up to Katara and the others. "…You are amazing!" Sokka's words all came out in a rush as he looked at Suki, who then smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

"Thanks, sweetie, so do you."

"What can I say? Red has kinda grown on me," Sokka lightly elbowed Zuko next to him as he gave an exaggerated wink, "just like this guy."

Zuko seemed to snap out of his trance at Sokka's actions, and directed an annoyed look at him. His voice thick with sarcasm. "Thanks, Sokka, that means a lot to me."

"Don't mention it, Your Fire Lord-ness."

Aang, who had completely ignored the other's antics, took a step towards Katara, and wistfully addressed her. "You're really beautiful, Katara."

"Um… thanks, Aang."

Katara could feel that awkwardness between them again, but she was thankfully saved from trying to think of something else to say by Toph, who directed a hard stare at Aang. "Eh-hem," Toph loudly cleared her throat, "And…"

"Oh, and Toph," Aang hurriedly added, "You look very lovely, too."

The small earthbender's answer was both amused and pleased. "Thank you, Aang."

"We need to get going," Zuko glanced at his friends, "The others are probably already at the ballroom."

Sokka eagerly rubbed his stomach. "Mmm, a ballroom full of servers…and food trays…okay, if there's food, and more specifically, meat there, then what in the blazes are we still doing here? Let's get this show on the road!"

Suki hooked her arm through Sokka's, "I've got my escort."

Aang's head swiveled towards Katara, but Toph quickly snagged his arm and gave Katara a secretive wink. "Why, Twinkletoes, I would be honored." Disappointment appeared across Aang's face, but when Toph leaned in and whispered something to him, he chuckled, and his cheerful demeanor returned.

"May I…?"

Zuko's words drew Katara's attention, and when she turned towards him, she was momentarily dazzled by just how handsome he was. Katara had to consciously remind herself to breathe. "Yes, you may," she softly answered, before she gladly moved closer to him and twined her arm around his.

Giving her arm a quick squeeze, Zuko led the way through the many palace hallways, until they finally reached the ballroom. When the immense doors opened for them, an attendant announced their presence, and Katara could see every eye in the room turn to her and her friends. As they slowly walked further into the large room, Zuko would briefly stop to say hello to the different officials and diplomats from the various nations. When they approached one particular couple, a tall, black-haired man in a military uniform with his wife, Zuko looked pleased to see them.

"General Ichiro," Zuko showed him a small, polite smile. "I'm glad you could attend tonight."

"Fire Lord Zuko." Both Ichiro and the lady gave Zuko a proper bow. "Thank you, Your Highness. My wife, Eumae, and I wished to congratulate you on your coronation."

"Thank you, Ichiro."

The general's gaze then turned to Katara, and she was struck with how different his golden eyes were from Zuko's. While Zuko's were filled with warmth and passion, this man's eyes held nothing but a cold, calculating light. The slight smile that materialized on his lips did not reach his eyes.

"This must be the famous Master Waterbender that I've heard so much about. Such talented achievements from one so young is nearly unheard of."

"And such a pretty thing too!" Eumae glanced quickly between Zuko and Katara, hastily coming to her own conclusions. "Is this your future wife, Fire Lord Zuko?"

"No!" both Zuko and Katara quickly replied, and each turned their own shade of red, while she thought she heard Sokka make a choking noise behind her.

"No," Zuko reiterated, a little more calmly this time, "Katara is…a very close acquaintance of mine, my lady."

"Oh," she seemed a little disappointed at the news. "Well, I'm sure you'll find yourself a nice girl before too long."

"Please excuse my wife, Your Highness, she seems to forget herself," Ichiro directed a pointed look at Eumae, and then glanced back at Zuko. "We actually would like to steal some of your time to discuss a few things, Your Highness, if that's possible?"

Zuko nodded, and turned to his friends. "You guys can go on ahead. I need to introduce myself to some of the other guests." He gave Katara another smile before he reluctantly let go of her arm.

Katara and her friends didn't have to walk too much further before they spotted Hakoda and their other friends. As she came closer to her father, she saw that he was positively beaming with happiness, and she gladly rushed into his arms for another hug. When Hakoda finally let go of her, he took a step back, so he could take another look of her.

"You look beautiful, Katara," his tone was loving, yet sad at the same time, "…just like your mother."

Thoughts of her mother were still tinged with sorrow, but the anger was gone, and in its place was her own found peace, "Thank you, Dad. That means a lot to me."

Hakoda abruptly cleared his throat, and attempted to lighten the mood. "So, what's with all the red? I mean, I know we're in the Fire Nation, but I'm not sure I like the fact that both of my children are wearing its colors."

At that point, Sokka and Aang had come up to both her and Hakoda, and it was Sokka that answered. "It's not a big deal, Dad. We're just absorbing the culture-" pausing, Sokka grabbed some horderves from a server's tray that passed right by him, and licked his lips in anticipation, "-and the tasty food, of course." He immediately inhaled the bite-sized snacks, and while he was still in the process of chewing, he added, "I mean…it's not like we're going to take up permanent residence here or anything."

Katara winced at her brother's comment, for that was exactly what she had been thinking about lately. _But how can I tell that to Dad? He's been involved in this war for so long now… I have to find a way to get him used to the idea._ "The Fire Nation isn't so bad, Dad. Once you spend a little time here and get to really know the people, it's a nice place. I was actually thinking of maybe staying here for a little while longer...to, you know, _absorb_ the culture, as Sokka put it."

Aang was excited by the idea. "Ooh, and I can show you guys some of the places that me and Kuzon used to go to back in the day, and then there's tons of stuff to do at the Fire Day Festival coming up."

"Yeah, and then there's all the bonuses that come with living a plushy palace life." Sokka started to tick off his fingers as he named them. "A roof over our heads, comfy beds, hot baths, a constant supply of food that you don't have to chase down or almost get run over by, twenty-four hour room service, oh, and did I mention the _gigantic_ amount of food they have here?" Sokka rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "You know, on second thought, maybe living here isn't such a bad idea."

"You kids really like this place, huh?" When they nodded, Hakoda shook his head, "I guess it's just hard for me to warm up to the place when we've been enemies for so long."

Sokka busted out laughing. " _Warm up_! I get it! 'Cause it's the _Fire_ Nation, you know…" Sokka slapped his thigh as he continued to chuckle, "That's a good one, Dad."

Aang smiled at his friend's joke, but became thoughtful again. "It's nice here, but there's also so much more to see out there. There's a whole world full of places we haven't seen and things we haven't done yet."

"And don't forget there's a world that we have to help rebuild, too." Their father directed a pointed look at both her and Sokka. "Everyone will be looking to the Avatar to help bring the nations together, and Aang is going to need the two of you more than ever now to help do just that."

While Sokka and Aang readily agreed with Hakoda, Katara remained silent. There was yet another reason why she couldn't really afford to stay here in the Fire Nation, but those were thoughts that her heart didn't want to comprehend, and so she shoved aside for now. Any further conversation between their little group was cut off as more servers and food trays arrived, and, this time, all of the guys made sure to grab some. Katara decided to go try to find Suki or Toph, so after giving her father a quick kiss on the cheek, she went and searched for her friends.

She found Suki first, with the other Kioshi warriors in their own formal dresses, so she joined their circle. After the girls exchanged some compliments, Ty-Lee clapped her hands together enthusiastically. "Isn't this exciting? I can't wait till the dancing starts, it's going to be so much fun!"

One of the girls next to Ty-Lee frowned, "Maybe you are, but some of us don't really know how to dance."

"Oh, there's nothing to it," Ty-Lee waved her hand dismissively, "It's just a lot of fluid movements and getting the rhythm down." She looked thoughtful for a moment, "Now that I think about it, dancing is not so different from fighting… except by the end of it you don't have a bunch of people lying helpless and motionless on the ground."

Suki and Katara both giggled at her observation, and Katara commented, "Yeah, I could see how chi-blocking and dancing don't really go together."

"Yup," Ty-Lee's tone became matter-of-fact, "but it does come in handy when the guys can't take a hint."

"You really used one of your attacks on a guy?"

"It was on a couple of them, actually," an innocent look crossed Ty-Lee's face, "They just wouldn't take no for an answer. But we didn't stay at that party for very long, anyways. Zuko and Mai had a big fight and sorta temporarily broke up with each other, so Azula and I headed out shortly after they left."

Ty-Lee had said that little tidbit so casually, as if wasn't a big deal, but inwardly, Katara reeling from shock. "Wait… you mean Zuko and Mai used to date each other?"

"For several months… ," she sighed, "They were such a cute couple."

Katara felt a sudden spike of irritation, probably fueled by jealousy, as she envisioned Zuko and Mai together. _Zuko and Mai? How could that be? Why didn't Zuko ever tell me?_

"Zuko broke up with Mai when he left to join you guys, though," Ty-Lee continued, "So I'm not really sure what's going on between them now."

Another of the girls on the other side of Suki smiled coyly, "So basically, the new Fire Lord is cute _and_ single?" She and some of the other girls exchanged a meaningful look. "We _have_ to find a way to dance with him tonight!"

Okay, _now_ she was officially jealous and in overprotective mode. "I don't think that's such a good idea." Before the others had time to protest this statement, however, they suddenly straightened up and stared at something behind Katara. Was is just her imagination, or did they start suddenly batting their eyelashes in masse?

"Katara?" She turned around to see who called her, and saw that it was none other than Zuko.

"Hey," he looked relieved to have found her, "I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, Zuko?

He rubbed the back of his neck, as if he was nervous. "The first dance of the evening is about to commence, and it's customary for the Fire Lord to lead it. Traditionally, the partner is his wife…" A hint of color appeared on his cheeks as he said the word, but he quickly composed himself again. "But since I'm not married, there'll be an exception."

Zuko's eyes softened and a tender smile appeared on his lips as he held out his hand to her. "Will you dance with me, Katara?"

There were some audible gaps behind Katara from her friends, but she was no longer paying them any attention, for her vision and her thoughts were now completely focused on Zuko, and nothing else. It was his gaze, filled with a need and a vulnerability that resonated deep within her very being, that captivated her and inexplicably drew her to him. She felt like she was positively floating as she came to take his hand. "I would love to."

As he drew her away from group, Katara felt that this moment was almost too surreal to be actually happening. The ballroom, the formally attired guests, dancing with Zuko, now the leader of the Fire Nation…it seemed like something out of a children's tale. She gripped his hand tighter, suddenly afraid that he might vanish in front of her eyes, like something from a dream. Zuko must have mistaken her sudden death grip on his hand as her being nervous about the dance, because he tried to comfort her.

"Don't worry about the dance, Katara. It's very simple and straightforward." He did his best to give her a reassuring smile. "Just follow my lead. I promise I won't let you go."

His words were full of such tenderness and conviction, Katara couldn't help but grin. "I like the sound of that."

Smiling, Zuko nodded towards the dance floor ahead of them. "Shall we?"

"After you, Your Highness."

"Not you, too. I get an earful of that all day long from Kenshin."

She laughed at his mock expression of frustration and annoyance. "So, first day on the job and the mighty Fire Lord is already tiring of the position…whatever is to be done?"

"Well, there is the less glamorous side of the office, but the perks more than make up for it."

"And what perks would that be?"

"For starters? Getting to dance with prettiest girl in the entire room." Zuko said it so simply and honestly that it made her blush. "…Speaking of which, I think it's about to begin."

Gently pulling her behind him, he guided them through the guests, and when they arrived on the edge of the dance floor, a gong chimed, and the crowd became silent. Zuko held their intertwined hands out to the side and moved his other arm around her waist, keeping her close, but with a proper amount of space still between them. She could practically feel all the stares and questions that were aimed at the two of them, and her nervousness returned again in full force. But then the music started, and all other thoughts were completely swept away as Zuko began to lead her through the steps of the dance.

True to his word, the dance was fairly easy, and soon Zuko's whispered instructions came less and less as Katara quickly memorized the steps and turns that synchronized with the eloquent music. She let herself relax into the rhythm of the dance, and for Katara, everything else seemed to drop away. Right at that moment, there was only her and Zuko as he gracefully guided them across the dance floor. It was an experience that was both magical and exhilarating.

Zuko effortlessly twirled Katara around, and when he once again put his arm around her waist, a thought occurred to Katara as she remembered one of their previous conversations. "So, I thought you said you weren't any good at dancing…"

"I never said I wasn't any good at dancing, I just said that I didn't _like_ to dance." His eyes shined with a mischievous light. "There's a big difference. Though now I'm starting to rethink my opinion about it altogether..." Zuko's eyes then trailed away to lovingly study the rest of her features, until his gaze caught on her necklace. "That looks familiar. Is that the one that Hina gave you?"

She uttered a short, soft laugh. "It is. The same day that we first met Masato and Liem."

"How could I ever forget," Zuko muttered, but his expression showed signs of amusement.

"It probably sounds crazy," Katara continued, "but despite everything that happened that day, and the danger we were in, I still enjoyed it."

"It's not crazy, because I feel the same way too." His lips curled up into a small smile, "You know, we _do_ make a good team."

She thought about everything that happened in the last few weeks, and she realized he was right. "Yeah, I guess we do."

All too soon, the music stopped and the crowd began to applaud as a reluctant Zuko released his hold on her waist, but stubbornly kept their hands intertwined. After a quick bow, they made their way off the dance floor, which now began to fill with the other guests as the music started up once again. Katara caught a glimpse of Suki and Ty-Lee off to the side talking with her brother and Aang, making her remember their previous conversation.

"Zuko, I want to ask you something."

He stopped and looked at her expression, and what he saw there concerned him. "Is everything okay, Katara?"

"Yes, it is…" She knew it was probably a touchy subject for him, but part of her still wanted to ask. "I just wanted to know why you never said anything about Mai before."

His eyes widened in surprise, and then quickly filled with sadness and guilt before he looked away. "I guess Ty-Lee told you that we used to date."

"She did."

Zuko took a moment to answer, and when he did, his voice was so soft she had to strain to hear him. "That seems like a lifetime ago. I was a different person back then…and I wasn't sure about what I really wanted." He shrugged. "When I left my father and the Fire Nation for good, I told Mai that it wouldn't work between us."

"So there's nothing between you two anymore?"

He met her gaze unashamedly. "No, absolutely not. Why? Did Ty-Lee-?"

"She made it seem like that part was questionable."

"Oh. I'm not sure why, if she's talked to Mai at all today she would know that's not true."

"You mean Mai is here?" Katara told herself that she was not going to be irritated if that was true. There was no reason to be jealous…there was probably a very _logical_ reason as to why Zuko's ex-girlfriend wanted to pop in on the whim and see him...

"Well, I don't where she is _now_ , but she was in my room this morning, when I was getting ready for the coronation-"

"She was in your room," Katara stated in a flat, monotone voice, "While you were getting dressed."

He was definitely panicking now, and rightly so. "Wait, it's not like it sounds. Nothing happened between us. I mean, she tried to kiss me right at the start, but I-"

"She did _what?_ " She could feel her old temper coming back now, in full force.

"No… it wasn't like that. I didn't-" He suddenly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes pleaded with her. "Please, just let me explain?"

Katara crossed her arms and gave him a piercing glare. "Explain."

"Mai came by this morning, after you and Masato left, and she did try to kiss me, but I immediately stopped her and I told her how I really felt. I let her know that it's over between her and me, and she left right after that. I haven't seen her since."

"So…you really did break up with her." Some more of the pain and guilt that she had seen a glimpse of earlier reappeared, and she knew, without a doubt, that he was telling the truth.

"Yes, I did."

Her anger melted away as she watched the shadows of his anguish play across his face. Katara could tell that what happened this morning had been hard on him, and that it still hurt, even though he didn't want to admit it. She suddenly felt very selfish, and foolish.

"I'm sorry, Zuko." She reached over and grabbed his hand. "I shouldn't have gotten angry at you… I should have trusted you."

Much to her relief, he squeezed her hand right away, and gave her a small smile. "It's okay, I understand why. But you don't need to worry." His other hand came up to gently caress her cheek. "You're the only one that I want beside me."

The desire to kiss him right now was so strong she ached with it, but she was still mindful of the people around her, so she instead grasped his hand and gave it a quick kiss before letting it fall. "That's good, because I intend to do just that, for the rest of the night, for your own protection."

"Protection from what, exactly?"

"From the hoards of girls that think you're now single and available."

He smiled at her comment. "There are a lot of girls here, but you're the only one I really see."

Katara was secretly pleased at his answer, but still told him, "Good, because I'd really hate to have to freeze someone into a block of ice tonight because they couldn't take a hint."

Zuko laughed at that imagery, and was still chuckling by the time Sokka and the rest of their friends came and found them. There was one person, however, that Katara noticed was missing. "Where's Aang?"

"He's out on the dance floor right now." Suki grinned. "Apparently, some of the girls here couldn't wait to start dancing with the famous Avatar."

"Yup," Sokka had a smug look on his face, "I guess we're all going to have to get used to that kind of stuff…because we're famous heroes and everything..."

"Oh, please," Katara shook her head at her brother, while Zuko smirked.

"It's true, I'm telling you! I already had to give two autographs out since I've been here."

Toph looked amused. "Yeah, from your five-year old fan base."

"You just have to bust my bubble…don't you?"

"That's what I'm here for." Toph smirked, but then turned serious and tilted her head, as if she was trying to listen to something, and brightened. "Ah, now there's a tune I know. Alright, Sparky, it's time to show me what you got." Zuko seemed confused and so she clarified, "As in, time to dance. You already got to go around with Sugar Queen, so now it's my turn."

The others laughed at the mixture of surprise and embarrassment on Zuko's face, but Toph wasted no time in grabbing his hand and pulling him to the dance floor. Much to Katara's surprise, her father then came and asked her to dance. Though he wasn't quite as graceful as Zuko, Hakoda still was able to lead them skillfully around the dance floor, and by the end of it, both father and daughter had a few stray tears in their eyes.

The group spent the next few hours that way, catching up with their friends in between dancing with each other. As the night wore on and the crowd thinned, the music became less formal and more relaxed, and featuring dances that were well known in the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes as well. Aang knew several dances of all different types and styles, and his unlimited energy and excitement seemed to infect the rest of the group as they joined him on the dance floor. Everyone's shyness quickly evaporated, and it seemed all of the gang had a dance that they wanted to share. Katara and Aang repeated their dance they had done at their secret Fire Nation dance party, and was an instant hit that the two of them gladly gave repeat performances of. Katara couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun, and she was laughing and smiling so much that her cheeks were beginning to hurt.

Even though it seemed as if she had danced with every single person in the room, Katara was still pleased to note that she had still danced the most with Zuko. There was a connection and an attraction between them that neither could deny, though they took care to guard their actions. It was hard not to keep staring at him all the time, especially when he smiled, which tonight happened very frequently. His ability to distract her was mind boggling.

Later on they were standing with Suki, Sokka, Toph, and Aang, talking about some of the crazier close calls they had over their previous misadventures, when a slower song began to play. Nothing about it seemed unusual, except for Zuko's reaction when he heard it. With a somber expression, he quickly excused himself and headed towards one of the ballroom's set of doors, and after a moment, Katara decided to follow.

When she walked through the doors, she looked around for him, until she saw him standing out of one of the large balconies that looked over the palace grounds. Slowly making her way towards him, so as not to startle him, she came and stood next to him. "Zuko, are you okay?"

Zuko was leaning on the railing and had both eyes closed, but he opened them at her words, and gave her a half-hearted smile. "Yeah…I just needed a moment."

"Was it the song?"

"Yes. Whenever I hear it, I think of my mother. She was the one who first taught me how to dance, and it was to that song." He sighed. "You'd think after all this time…"

"It wouldn't hurt so much," Katara softly finished for him, thinking about her own mother. "There's always going to be a part of you that misses her and wishes she'd still be here… but then you realize that she would just want you to be happy, and to enjoy the life that you have." She reached over and put her hand on top of his. "She would want to see you smile."

"Yes, she would." He looked at their joined hands, and a slow smile spread over his lips. "It really is amazing, how you can make me smile, no matter what I'm going through or how I'm feeling."

Katara grinned. "I guess it's all part of being a master healer."

When his gaze finally met hers, her heart skipped a beat. "You're much more than that." He took his other hand and gently brushed back a stray lock of hair that had come loose, and tucked it behind her ear. "I can't believe how beautiful you are. When I saw you coming down that staircase... you were so breathtaking, I didn't know what to say." He smiled apologetically, "I should have told you sooner."

The combination of his intense gaze and gorgeous smile was creating waves of butterflies in her stomach. "You didn't need to. I could see it in the way you looked at me." His golden eyes brightened with that same warmth and adoration, and she whispered, "Just like now."

Zuko glanced down at her lips, and Katara sucked in her breath. The anticipation heightened her every sense, and she felt a wonderful surge of energy and warmth as he gently tilted her head up and touched his lips to hers. The kiss was long and deep, and left her delightfully breathless.

"I've wanted to do that so many times tonight," his voice was low and husky, and it sent a shiver down her spine, "the waiting was starting to drive me crazy."

Katara fervently agreed with him, and was about to tell him so, when he urgently pulled her into another kiss. She could feel how much he missed her and longed for her in the heat of his kisses. It made the blood pound in her ears, and left her craving much, much more.

Their breathing had become heavy and labored by the time Zuko ended the kiss. As they rested their foreheads against each other, gasping for breath, Zuko softly laughed. "Iroh used to tell me that breathing exercises were good for more than just firebending, and now I think I understand what he meant."

Katara blushed at the meaning of his words, which only made Zuko's grin widen. He leaned forward and gave her a short, sweet kiss, and when he pulled back, his face was serene. "You really are amazing. I've never felt so happy …so content…as when I'm with you."

Smiling, Katara reached up and gently stroked his cheek. "I know what you mean, because I feel the same way too." She then wrapped her arms around his waist, and he immediately encircled her in his embrace. Surrounded by the warmth and the life of him, the only thing she could think about was how she never wanted to leave this…to leave him.

Katara pulled back suddenly. "Zuko, I need to tell you something." Though she was sure of her decision, it still made her feel nervous, and vulnerable. Zuko must have sensed the change in her, because he looked concerned.

"What is it, Katara?

She took a deep breath. "I've decided that I want to stay here, in the Fire Nation…with you."

He understood the gravity of her words, and he seemed both surprised and pleased by it. "What happened to taking it one day at a time?"

She looked deep into his eyes, eyes that she could lose herself in. "I guess I couldn't stand the thought of a future without you in it."

"Katara…" He lovingly ran his thumb across her jaw, while he struggled with his conflicting desires. "Agni knows that I want you stay by my side, but it's still not safe-".

"Zuko, I'm _not_ going to let anything scare me off. Whatever is after us, we'll deal with it together. And don't even think about trying to change my mind about it, because it won't work."

"And I suppose giving you an order as the new Fire Lord wouldn't do any good either, would it?"

Katara smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Nope. Sorry, Your Highness, but I'm not going anywhere." He willingly let her pull him into another slow and tender kiss. When they finally separated, Zuko looked thoughtful.

"I guess I can have Kenshin start looking through the records, to find out if there are any laws about who the Fire Lord can…court." He said the last word shyly, but then his expression became serious again. "And a pronouncement will probably need to be made, to the Council at least."

Katara nodded. "I will tell the others, including my father, before then." While the fear and dread that used to fill her at the thought hadn't completely vanished, she felt determined that she could do what needed to be done.

The faint sound of footsteps behind them immediately put both of them on the alert. Zuko turned to face the person, putting himself protectively in front of Katara, but they soon relaxed when they saw it was a guard. The guard politely bowed to Zuko.

"Fire Lord Zuko, I apologize for the intrusion. I was merely making my rounds."

"It's okay," Zuko replied, "We were just about to head in."

"Yes, Your Highness." After the guard quickly checked out the surroundings, he bowed once again to Zuko and left.

Katara took Zuko's hand in hers and squeezed it. Zuko returned the gesture before he reluctantly released her hand and they went back inside. There were still plenty of people in the large room, and on the dance floor, but they found Sokka and Suki standing and chatting off to the side. As they strode up to the pair, both faces looked at them questioningly.

"Is everything okay?" Suki's evaluation of them definitely had more of a suspicious edge to it than her brother's.

"Yeah, it is," Zuko kept his expression carefully neutral, "Just needed some air."

Sokka, on the other hand, looked relieved, "Okay, because you know I was just kidding while ago when I said that all fire nation rulers turn out to be evil, demented, soulless monsters, right?"

"Of course he does, Snoozles." Toph shook her at Sokka as she walked up next to Zuko. She then smiled and she slid her arm through the Fire Lord's. "Alright, Sparky, let's go."

"And do what?"

The earthbender chuckled. "Dance with me, obviously. You got to dance with Sugar Queen at least half the night, so it's only right that I get another turn."

Zuko colored a little at her remark, but didn't have time to really react before Toph began to nearly drag him to the dancefloor. Katara had to admit, the sight was pretty hilarious. She then turned to Suki and Sokka. "Where's everyone else?" Katara hadn't seen her father or Aang so far, which was unusual.

"Ty-Lee and the other Kyoshi Warriors went into the bathroom to 'freshen up', whatever that means," Sokka shrugged, "and Aang went to get some more snacks and drinks."

Suki grinned, "Between him and Sokka, it's a wonder there is any food left."

"Well, it's not like the Fire Nation can't afford it. We might as well live it up while we're here." He put his arm around Suki. "Speaking of which, I think us couples should arrange for another beach trip before we head out. You know, like a romantic getaway."

Katara didn't like where this was going. "Us couples?"

"You know, me and Suki, and you and Aang."

"Sokka," Katara warned in a low voice, but he continued anyways, "I mean, we'd have to leave Toph here with Zuko, I'm sure the two of them will be fine, but the four of us could have a whole beach house to ourselves-"

"Sokka!" This time she was louder, and it finally caught his attention. "That won't work."

"Why not?"

 _Geez, my brother can be so oblivious sometimes._ "Because, Aang and I aren't a couple. We're not together…like that."

Sokka seemed genuinely shocked at her news. "But… I know you two have kissed a couple times. Aang told me that himself."

Katara sighed. "Yes, we did, but I realize now that it was a mistake… I don't have those kinds of feelings for him. We're just friends."

A sudden crash just behind Katara made her jump, and she quickly turned around to see what had happened. She saw the broken drink glass on the floor that had caused the noise, but when her gaze focused on Aang, and the devastation that was clearly etched across his face, she froze. The fear and dread she felt at seeing his expression paralyzed her. Her voice trembled. "Aang…" Tears started to fill his eyes, and in that moment, Katara saw the thirteen year old boy, not the Avatar, standing in front of her. "I'm sorry…"

Her words abruptly triggered something inside of him, and in a flash, Aang surrounded himself in a sphere of air. Before Katara could think to react, he turned and sped away on his platform of air, heading out of the ballroom. "Aang!" she yelled out, but he was already gone.

Not caring how it looked, Katara immediately took off running after him, dodging people here and there when she needed to. She _had_ to find Aang and talk to him. At that moment, that was all that mattered.

* * *

"Sparky, I have to admit, you do a pretty good job on the dance floor."

Toph and Zuko were dancing to a more traditional and graceful tune that was a classic among Earth Kingdom nobility. Toph was impressed with how quick her friend picked up the footwork, and the fact that he actually made the time enjoyable. It was refreshing to dance with someone who didn't treat her as a blind partner, despite her insistence that she could probably 'see' better than anyone else in the entire palace.

Zuko smirked. "This _must_ be a special occasion. I've actually gotten a hug and a compliment from you, completely violence free, within the span of a few hours. I almost don't know what to say."

Trust Sparky to ruin the moment. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. Just because I'm wearing a dress doesn't mean I'm going all mushy."

"The thought never crossed my mind."

"Good."

They were both still smiling by the time the dance ended. Toph guided them back to the others, but they only got about halfway there when something began to feel very wrong to her. Suddenly, Aang's and Katara's heart rates shot through the roof, and as they got closer, she could hear the anxiety in Katara's voice. _Uh-oh. This is_ not _good._ Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt Aang use his airbending skills to zoom out of the room, followed a second later by Katara. She felt a pang of sorrow for Aang. _I guess he knows now._

Zuko tensed next to her and started to move in that same direction, but Toph quickly grabbed a hold of his arm. "Sparky, don't."

He brushed off her hand. "Toph, I have to go after them."

Toph felt him take another step, and prepared to use her earthbending if necessary. "Zuko, stop!" She didn't know if it was the tone of her voice, or the fact that she actually addressed him by his real name, but thankfully, he stopped. When she went and stepped in front of him, she could literally feel him trembling with the effort of keeping himself in place.

"Toph, you don't understand. I have to make sure she's—they're—okay." He must have realized that he let a little more slip that he should have, because he became silent.

"This is something that Katara and Aang have to work through on their own." Toph gently placed a hand on his chest. "I'm sorry Zuko, but you can't protect her from this."

He stiffened at her words. "I…I don't know what you mean."

"Please. You're no better at hiding your feelings than Katara is."

"So… you know about the two of us?"

"Yup, have for a couple of days now."

All the tension and unreleased energy seemed to finally go out of him, and he sounded resigned. "I suppose you're right. I just don't like the thought of standing here, doing nothing."

"I know. I don't like it either." She took her hand away. "But we're just going to have to wait this one out." Even as she was talking, Toph could pick up where Aang and Katara were through her earthbending, and judging by their nerves, it wasn't going good. But she knew telling Zuko this would only upset him more, so she decided that it would be best to keep him distracted. Just as she was thinking that thought, she sensed Hakoda approaching the two of them.

"Have either of you seen Katara?" The Water Tribe leader definitely sounded unhappy, and suspicious. "I thought I heard something going on, but when I asked Sokka and Suki they didn't seem too sure either."

"She's outside with Aang." Toph tried to explain without going into too many details. "They got into an argument and needed to talk it out. I'm sure they'll be back any-"

Toph stopped when her earthbending picked up some new and strange vibrations coming off of both Aang and Katara, something that almost felt like fear. Almost at the exact time, she realized that there was a third person right next them that had an unusually rapid heartbeat. In a flash of understanding, Toph knew what was going on.

"They're here," she whispered.

"Who is?" Hakoda questioned her, at the same time that Zuko asked, "Toph, what's going on?"

"Assassins..." Toph nearly spat out the word, but before she could explain what was going on to the other two, she felt another spike in a heartbeat right behind Zuko. Suddenly, she felt the person pull a small metal dagger, and in that split second, Toph moved. Thrusting her arm out towards them, she used her metalbending to grab the dagger, and with a slash downward, thrust it down hilt-deep into the floor.

Shouts broke out around them, but Toph shut it all out, and focused on the immediate vicinity. As she came and stepped up beside Zuko and Hakoda, now on the alert, she did another vibration sweep. Unfortunately, everyone's heartbeats were now going off like hundreds of drums, and it was because of that reason that she nearly missed the last assassin. The second she felt the two shards of metal slice through the air towards Zuko, she reached out to them, and it was not a moment too soon. By the time she gained control of the two daggers, she stopped them merely two inches from Zuko's torso. Hakoda, who was nearest to the assassin, instantly dove at the man and tackled him to the ground.

Toph summoned one of the blades to hover in front of her, and when she carefully smelled its tip, her suspicions were confirmed. "The blades were poisoned."

"The Sons of Sozin," Zuko pronounced, as if that was the answer to his unspoken question. Toph was about to ask who that was, when he suddenly sucked in his breath. "Katara."

With that one word, uttered in such fear and desperation, Zuko turned to where he last saw both Aang and Katara, and broke into a dead run.

* * *

 _Aang…I never wanted to hurt you._ Katara barely slowed down as she ran through the open ballroom doors, and turned down the hallway to her right. All her energy was focused on finding Aang and somehow making this right. She passed a very surprised servant along the way, but she paid him no attention as she continued to search for her friend. When Katara came to a hallway intersection, she tried to stop suddenly, but she nearly fell flat on her face as she stumbled once again in her high-heeled shoes. With a growl, she quickly took the things off and carelessly threw them to the floor.

Once she got her bearings again, she instinctively took a left down the next hallway and started running. _I have to find Aang. This is my fault… I need to talk to him, because I don't want to lose my friend…I have to find him._ When she passed another corridor on the right, something caught her eye, and she stopped. There, at the end of the hallway, sitting in front of a large floor-to-ceiling window, was Aang. He had his arms wrapped around his legs, and his head tucked down, and as Katara came closer, she could hear him sniffling. The sound tore at her heart, but she made herself approach him. She couldn't avoid this anymore.

"Aang?"

When he heard her voice, he immediately lifted his head. Everything in his expression showed signs of hurt and bitterness. "What do you want? I've already heard what you had to say."

Katara flinched. "Aang, I'm sorry… I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't want-"

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"What you told Sokka and Suki." A fresh wave of pain crossed his face, and he struggled to say that words. "That kissing me was…a mistake…and that you just want to be friends."

Closing her eyes, Katara hated herself for what she was about to do, but she couldn't lie to him. She forced herself to open her eyes, and meet Aang's anguished gaze as she said the words. "It's the truth. I'm sorry, Aang."

Aang's eyes cut off to the side, and after a moment he slowly stood up. Still not looking at her, he softly began to speak. "For the past year, you've been at the center of everything I know. You were the one who found me in the iceberg…your face was the first one I saw when I came back to this world…and it was you that brought me back to life when I was already dead." When his eyes found here again, they seemed to be pleading with her. "I thought that meant something…that we were supposed to be together."

Maybe if Aang had been angry, this would have been easier for Katara. She could have dealt with anger. But seeing Aang in such pain, and nearly begging her… At the sight of it, something inside of her broke. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, and began to flow over. "Aang, you _do_ mean a lot to me. You're the reason that I kept fighting all this time, because you were the one person who I could always believe in. I care about you, a lot."

"But you don't love me."

Katara took a shaky breath. "I _do_ love you…just not in that way. You're like a-"

"-Brother. I know, I've heard that before." Aang's hands clenched a little. "That's always how you're going to see me, isn't it?" When she didn't answer, he nodded. "I guess I have my answer."

"Aang…" Katara didn't know what else to say, but she didn't want him to go away. The tears trickled down both of their cheeks freely now, and the look they shared held pain for each of them.

"Sir, Madam," a voice from down the hallway called out to them, but it barely registered with Katara, "Can I be of any assistance?"

When Katara finally broke away from Aang's gaze, she looked and saw a servant approaching them. It took a moment to find her voice. "We're fine, thanks." Turning back to Aang, she saw that his eyes were closed, and she was about to speak his name again, when something flashed out of the corner of her eye.

Too late, she turned her head towards the servant, to see two metallic shards rip through the air, blindingly fast, as they closed in on her. In the heartbeat before they reached her, both she and Aang began to move, but Katara already knew that they were too slow. Then, all she felt was the pain.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This chapter has always been one of my favorites, and there is a lot going on. I wanted to start the scene with Zuko and Mai just like it began on the show, but by this point Zuko's feelings have changed drastically from when the two of them last met, so the scene continues with my own AU twist. I think since Zuko is so honor-bound that he wouldn't have lied to Mai or tried to keep her in the dark, so although it is painful he makes the decision to tell her that it's over between the two of them. This is, ironically, what Katara should have done before with Aang, and in trying to spare his feelings, Aang inevitably finds out and is hurt even worse by the news.

Katara gets more of a glimpse into Zuko's new world of being the Fire Lord via the large ballroom dance afterwards...and I love dancing so I just couldn't write an entire novel without at least one dance scene between Zuko and Katara ;-) Katara knows she has responsibilities but finally admits that she wants to stay with Zuko, at least for the foreseeable future. Though most of this chapter almost feels like a fairy tale, reality is reminding both Zuko and Katara and their situation is far from it. Though Zuko is now Fire Lord, the Fire Nation is a long way from being united. The unrest has now struck close to home for Zuko, and he will need all the help he can get in the coming chapters.

I would love to hear what you thought of this chapter, and especially the cliffhanger (yes, that was a little evil of me). Thank you for reading!


	12. Holding On

"…Katara…"

Aang's voice seemed distant through the haze of shock and pain that cluttered Katara's thoughts.

She was kneeling on the cold, hard floor, her hands clutching the large gash at her side. Aang had managed to use his airbending skills at the last possible moment to throw the knives off course… but it had been too late to deflect both. Trickles of blood were now starting to slip between her fingers, and every breath she took sent a fresh wave of pain and slight nausea through her. And now, as she used her waterbending skills to survey the extent of her injury, Katara realized that something was wrong.

The intense, fiery pain that originally surrounded her injury was now slowly, but steadily spreading out from the wound to the rest of her body. As she probed the sensation more deeply with her skills, Katara realized that it came from something foreign, something that was different from her own blood. _There must have been poison on the blade. This is not good…_ That meant she was going to have to draw the poison out first, before she could heal herself. And she was only going to grow weaker as time went by, which would make trying to heal herself much more difficult.

"- _Katara_!"

Aang's desperate yell sent a jolt throughout her system, and Katara forced herself to focus through the pain and her dilemma. _I can't afford to fall apart right now… I have to stay strong._

When she opened up her eyes, Aang was crouched in front of her, a look of horror and fear on his face, "Katara, you're bleeding…a lot."

Katara tried to put on a brave face for him. "I'll be okay. I can heal it." She pulled a shaky breath, and was immediately hit with another huge wave of pain and nausea. Closing her eyes again, she tried to steady herself.

"Katara, I'm so sorry…" His voice was so full of despair that he could barely get out the words. "If I'd had been faster, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. I could have stopped him-".

"-The assassin, where is he?"

"He ran off down the hall… Katara, what is it?"

 _If an assassin came after me, then that means…_ A new terror seized Katara's heart, and her eyes suddenly snapped opened, wide-eyed with fear. _Zuko._

Katara grunted as another swell of fiery hurt took over her, but she fought against it, now consumed by a need greater than herself. _I have to find Zuko…I have to know that he's okay._ She pleaded with Aang. "The assassin…he has to be stopped."

"I can't leave you alone."

"I'll be alright." She put as must urgency into her voice as she could must. "Please! You have to go."

Aang reluctantly nodded his head, creating a sphere of air, and zoomed down the hallway after the servant. Katara immediately turned her whole attention back to her injury, and the poison that was now mingling with her own blood. There was only one way for her purge the poison out of her body, and it would require her to use a skill that she had promised herself she would never use again. Bloodbending.

Katara loathed the idea of having to use it, and even now she could see Hama's face in her mind's eye, but she had no other choice. The pain was slowly increasing and making her weaker with each second, and there was no way of knowing what else the poison was meant to do as it continued to take hold of her body. She had to eliminate it, even if it meant using the darker side of her power.

Gritting her teeth against the dizziness, Katara reluctantly tapped into her bending, and directed along her bloodstreams. She recognized the unique feel of the poison, and using her bloodbending, she quickly took control it. As Katara began to draw the poison back out through the wound, the pain suddenly escalated, making her feel as if her very veins were on fire. A whimper escaped her lips. _It hurts so much…. Spirits, I just want it to stop…_

After what seemed an agonizing eternity, she finally felt the last of the poison leave her, and she released her control over it. Her whole body still throbbed with residues of pain and nausea from the poison. Katara thought she might vomit.

"Katara!"

That voice…it was different this time, and it called to her in a way that she couldn't explain. Opening her eyes, she saw a figure racing towards her, and her heart swelled with joy when she saw who it was. "Zuko," she whispered, as a tear slipped down her face. _He's not hurt. That's all that matters._

As Zuko came up and knelt in front of her, she tried to move towards him, but she was quickly overcome by a surge of dizziness. She felt strong hands grip her arms, keeping her upright. Zuko then reached and grabbed one of her hands that was still pressed against her wound. When he saw the blood, he gasped. "Katara...your side." The hand that held hers began to tremble. "The poison-"

"It's gone." Katara saw a look of relief quickly cross his features. "I used my bending to remove it."

"You're still bleeding. Can you heal it?"

"Yes." The pain and exhaustion were still present, but staring into eyes, she felt something pulling at her, willing her to keep going. Gathering the last reserves of her strength, Katara slowly held her other palm out in the air, and began concentrating. She needed water to heal herself, and since she didn't have any at her side, she would have to draw it from the very air itself.

The water in the air around them was so small that it was impossible to see, but Katara could still feel it, even as weak as she was. It was excruciatingly slow, gathering the individual, miniscule drops around her, but soon she had a small sphere of water floating above her palm...enough for the healing. Placing her hand over the cut, she used the water to carefully mend all the torn tissues and veins, working from the deepest part of the gash all the way up to the surface of her skin. The pain and nausea immediately lessened after she had finished, but her exhaustion again returned, in full force.

She heard Zuko sigh in relief, but then he suddenly stood up and turned around when he heard several footsteps approach. The group, who turned out to be Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Hakoda, slowed from their frantic pace as they came closer to Zuko and Katara. When her brother and father saw Katara lying on the floor, both of their expressions became fearful, and they raced over to where she lay.

"-Katara, are you okay?"

"-Did they hurt you?"

She tried to give both Hakoda and Sokka a reassuring smile, but she wasn't quite sure how convincing it was. "I'm fine now-I healed myself." When neither of them looked convinced, she repeated herself. "I'm not hurt anymore. I'll be okay. I promise."

"Where's Aang?" Suki asked worriedly.

"He went after the assassin. I'm not sure where he is-"

"Got him," Toph announced, and she looked determined. "I'm going after him."

"I'll go with you," Suki quickly added. When the others nodded, the two of them immediately rushed back onto the main hallway and disappeared down one of its paths.

"What about the other two?" Katara heard Zuko ask her father.

"Both dead." Hakoda's expression was grim. "When the guards tried to take them into custody, both men made a struggle, and somehow managed to get their hands on another knife. They slit their own throats."

Sokka shook his head in disgust. "What kind of sick bastards are we dealing with-that they'd rather kill themselves than get put into prison?"

Zuko's hands clenched into fists. "The kind that doesn't want to talk." He then crouched back down to Katara, and his expression softened. "We need to get you to your room, so you can rest."

Katara tried to put up a brave front for her father and brother. "I can make it." As she moved her legs from her kneeling position, she felt some lingering dizziness, making her wobble slightly. Zuko immediately put a hand on her, in attempt to steady her.

"Katara, you're still weak from your injury and the healing. You shouldn't try to walk on your own."

"Just help me up."

She grunted with the effort of forcing her body to move. As she started to lift herself up, Zuko uttered something close to a growl. "Agni, you can be so stubborn sometimes." Nevertheless, he did as she asked, and helped her up to her feet, though she was still leaning on him for support.

"Katara, I think Zuko is right," Sokka frowned, "You still don't look too good."

She glared at her brother. "Thanks Sokka, I appreciate that." Katara took a deep breath, and tried to steady herself. Pulling away from Zuko, she waited for the dizziness to subside, and took a step on her own. _Ha! I can do it_ , she thought, but then her legs trembled and promptly crumpled underneath her.

Both Hakoda and Sokka moved towards her, but it was Zuko who reached her first. In a heartbeat, he scooped her up in his arms, and protectively pulled her close to his chest. Once he had her securely in his embrace, he started walking.

Katara tried to protest, but even to her ears, it came out weak. "Zuko, put me down, I can make it."

His answer was gentle, but firm. "I'm taking you to your room, and that's final."

 _And he calls me stubborn._ Katara considered pointing this out to Zuko, but she was soon distracted from her own thoughts by the feelings brought on by his close proximity. Even through his robes she could still hear his heartbeat as she rested her head against his firm chest. The sound of it was strangely soothing. She smiled to herself, and snuggled closer to him as he continued onto his destination. _I feel so safe and secure in his arms… maybe I am glad that he was so insistent._

The warmth of him was already seeping into her, making her feel better, in a way, but also sleepier. She closed her eyes and focused on his strong heartbeat again, noting how it increased slightly as he carried her up the long staircase. Soon he was walking down another hallway again, probably the one leading to her rooms. Before he entered the room, however, he addressed someone that had suddenly approached them.

"Kenshin, I want one of the palace healers brought up here as soon as possible, along with some food and water. I also need Masato up here, now. And I don't care if he is in the middle of something. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko."

Kenshin had barely finished speaking before Zuko was moving again, his stride purposeful as he entered her bedroom. There had been something in his tone, however, that still bothered Katara. She finally opened her eyes and pulled away a little, trying to get a glimpse of his face. Even from her vantage point, she could see the frown that dominated his expression. "Zuko, I don't need another healer. I'll be fine."

By then they had reached the bed, and he very slowly and gently laid her down before he met her gaze. Even by the candlelight in the room, she could see the concern in his eyes. "Yes, you healed yourself, but you're still weak from the blood loss and using your bending. You need to recover your strength and rest…the old fashioned way."

Katara went to sit up in the bed, but as if to prove his point, the sudden movement made her feel weak and dizzy. _Okay, so maybe I should take it easy, for a little bit._ When the feeling had passed, Zuko helped her pile some of the pillows behind her, so she could lay back on them while still sitting up, for the most part. She had just gotten comfortable when Sokka and Hakoda came into the room behind them.

Zuko, his expression once again serious, turned towards her brother. "Sokka, I need to ask a favor of you."

Sokka looked a little surprised, but he nodded, "Sure. What is it?"

"I need you to try to find Toph and the others, to make sure they're okay and to find out what happened to the other assassin. I also need you to bring Toph back with you, immediately. There's something very important that I need her help with."

Sokka hesitated and shot a worried look at Katara, which Zuko noticed. "Sokka, I promise I won't let her out of my sight while you're gone."

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, and then nodded in some kind of unspoken agreement. "I'll make it fast," Sokka promised, and then turned and headed back out of the room.

"Don't you think that's overdoing it a little?" Katara asked Zuko. _I understand why he would be a little concerned, but there is such a thing as being_ too _overprotective._

His voice was firm. "No, I don't."

Hakoda, who had been watching the exchange with an air of confusion and rapidly diminishing patience, finally spoke up. "Will someone tell me what's going on here? Who are these assassins and why are they after my daughter?"

"They're called the Sons of Sozin." Zuko saw the startled look Katara gave him, and answered her unspoken question. "I didn't find out until late last night, and I never got the chance to tell the rest of you because of the all the preparations for today." He glanced back at Hakoda. "They're a well-connected mercenary group for hire here in the Fire Nation. The other day, a group of them attacked me, Katara, and Suki while we were in the city. We're not sure yet why they're after me or Katara, but I intend to find out soon." His scowl deepened. "Very soon."

"So this is now the second assassination attempt in just a few days?" When they nodded, Hakoda directed an upset look at Katara. "Katara, why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"I was going to tell you, Dad. With you just getting back today, I never got the chance to be alone with you."

"If I had known about the danger you were in, I would have never let you come to the dance."

Whenever her father got that authoritative tone of his, Katara's stubbornness seemed to kick into high gear. "I'm old enough to decide when and where I can go, Dad, and I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much."

Hakoda frowned in disapproval. "Just because you have the ability to heal, Katara, doesn't mean you can ignore danger. I don't think you realize just how serious this is. These people seemed determined to kill you, and they are using any and all means necessary to make sure they achieve that goal."

"I know that, but I also know that I'm not going to let them scare me into hiding in deep, dark hole for weeks on end."

"You won't need to, because you're going to be coming back home with me and your brother on the next ride out."

"No, I'm not."

"Katara-" Hakoda warned, but Katara resolutely interrupted him. " _No_ , Dad. I'm staying in the Fire Nation. I'm not going to let Zuko face this alone."

Her father glanced at both her and Zuko, and he immediately became suspicious. "Is there something else going on here that I don't know about?"

Katara held her breath, knowing that the moment had come to tell her father about her and Zuko. She opened her mouth, to begin her explanation, when there was a knock on the door. Zuko instantly moved, positioning himself in between her bed and the door before he spoke. "Come in."

Kenshin entered the room first and gave his proper greeting to Zuko. Right behind him was Masato, but the large man didn't bow or greet Zuko right away. Instead, he continued to walk stiffly into the room, his expression one of extreme regret and remorse. He stepped up to Zuko, and swiftly knelt in front of him, dropping his head in shame. "I have failed you, Your Highness. It was my duty to protect you and Katara, but instead, both of you were nearly killed tonight. There's no excuse for my actions." He looked back up to Zuko, and resigned himself to his fate. "I hereby resign my position as captain, and willingly submit myself to the punishment of your choosing."

A stunned silence followed Masato's pronouncement. Zuko remained quiet, and then gave a heavy sigh. "Masato, please get up." Once the large man complied, Zuko continued. "I am not going to punish you for what happened tonight. Firstly, because it wasn't your fault, but also because I don't want to rule my country with an iron fist, like my father and his ancestors did. I want the position of the Fire Lord to stand for honor and justice again, like it used to, so many generations ago." He paused, and his tone lightened again. "And no, I'm not going to let you resign either. I'm going to need your help now more than ever, and you're one of the precious few here I can completely trust."

Masato stared at him in shock. "But Your Highness…it was my job to make sure the assassins didn't get in the palace, and no less than three of them did. I should have been more careful, more meticulous…I've made an unforgivable mistake."

"I don't believe there is such a thing as an unforgivable mistake. If everyone here had quit because of a mistake they had made, none of us would be standing in this room today." His voice had a quiet, almost haunted quality to it. "The spirits know I've made lots of mistakes, and some of them have been pretty big."

"I think I understand what you mean. Thank You." For a moment, Katara could almost swear that she saw a little wetness in the large man's eyes, but then his face once again became a plane of hard edges. "I will redouble my efforts to secure the palace. If I have to personally question every single worker in this palace to find out what happened and to make it safe, I'll do it."

"Actually, that's exactly what I want you to do."

"Your Highness," Kenshin interjected, "I don't know if you realize this, but there are hundreds of people who come in and out of the palace every day. Not only is there the staff, but there's also a steady stream of people and supplies coming into the palace, including all the generals and foreign delegates, and their retinues. It would take weeks to go through them all."

"If that's what it takes, then so be it." Even from her position, everything in Zuko's features warned of a tightly controlled anger, bubbling underneath the surface. "I want it done, with no exceptions."

"You like to do things the hard way, don't you, Sparky?" Toph suddenly appeared behind Masato and Kenshin, with Aang, Sokka, and Suki right on her heels.

"Aang!" Relief washed over Katara at seeing her friend unharmed. "I'm so glad that you're okay."

Aang only glanced at her for a moment, but in that small space of time, his pain and hurt practically screamed at Katara. He then turned his attention back to the others, in an obvious effort to ignore her. All the guilt and hurt Katara had experience earlier now came crashing back, and she had to bit her lip in an effort to keep the tears at bay.

"Did you find the other assassin?" Zuko directed his question at Aang, but the other boy shook his head.

"No. I followed him all the way into the kitchen area, but with all the people, I lost him." Aang avoided meeting the rest of their gazes. "I'm not feeling so great. I think I'm going to head back to my room, now." Without waiting for a reply, Aang abruptly turned and went out the door.

"Aang." Katara's plea came out as a hoarse whisper. Though she knew she was the cause of his pain, she still felt the desire to go to him and try to comfort him. "I have to make sure he's okay."

"Sorry, Sugar Queen," Toph frowned, crossing her arms, "but that's the worst thing you could do right now."

Zuko joined in right after her. "Katara, I know it's hard, but you're going to need to give Aang some time."

"I…I know you're probably right, but I'm still worried about him." She directed a pleading look at her brother. "Sokka, can you go and make sure he's alright?"

"But we just got back-"

" _Please_ , Sokka."

Her brother sighed. "Okay, I'll check on him." He glanced at Suki. "You want to come?"

Suki nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

When the two left, Masato addressed Zuko again. "This isn't good. Since the third assassin escaped, you can bet that within the hour the Sons of Sozin are going to know exactly what happened tonight."

"The Sons of Sozin are involved?" Kenshin asked in surprise.

"You didn't know that?" Masato scoffed at the smaller man. "Where have you been?"

Kenshin became indignant. "Where have _I_ been? I have been single-handedly planning an entire coronation and dance reception that usually takes months to put together in the time span a _few days_. Do you have _any_ idea what all goes into a celebration of this magnitude?"

"Kenshin," Zuko interrupted him, "I'm sure Masato didn't mean anything by it. But just a moment ago, when you said their name, it sounded like you recognized it."

"Yes, Your Highness, I have heard the name before. It was when I was serving under the previous First Secretary, when your father was Fire Lord. Daichi had served as Ozai's secretary for his entire reign, and as such he was the one who ran the daily affairs and finances of the palace. He knew more about what was going on behind the scenes in the nation than even the generals did."

Kenshin began to patiently explain. "One day, shortly after I had been promoted to the position of Second Secretary, I was at Daichi's desk, finishing some of the reports he had asked me to complete, when I came across an incomplete entry. Usually we are required to extensively document our expenses, but this entry only had two items of information: 'Sons of Sozin – 500 gold pieces'."

Masato gave a low whistle at hearing the exorbitant amount, and even Toph seemed impressed. Zuko, however, looked disappointed. "There wasn't anything else?"

"No, that was all, which was very suspicious, because Daichi was a very meticulous record keeper. When I went and asked Daichi about the entry, and who this 'Sons of Sozin' was, he became very evasive, and essentially ordered me never to talk about it again. From that day forward, he never let me at his desk or with the primary record books without his direct supervision."

Toph snorted, "So basically, we're still back where we started, at square one."

Kenshin smiled slightly. "No we're not. We know, for a fact, that Ozai and Daichi dealt with the Sons of Sozin, and judging by Daichi's behavior, I'd say it wasn't the first time either. Daichi would have kept a record of every transaction, which means there's a money trail, and detailed information about the group from their initial transaction."

A glimmer of hope finally appeared in Zuko's features, "Do you know where his record books are?"

"I believe so. All financial records are kept in the archive rooms in one of the palace wings. The problem is, Daichi most likely had his own secret, or 'off the record' accounts that he probably would had hidden in his personal effects. And then there's the fact that he kept years and years worth of records, and it will take a considerable amount of time to go through the mountain of information."

 _I knew it sounded too good to be true,_ Katara thought glumly, and she could see the others shared her disappointment as well. Everyone that is, except for Zuko. That fierce determination still burned in his eyes. "Kenshin, I want you and every person available who can pick up a book to start going through the archives, searching for clues. This is a top priority."

Kenshin sighed heavily. "I had a feeling you were going to say that." He then respectfully inclined his head. "I will see to it immediately, Fire Lord Zuko."

As Kenshin gave his bow to leave, Zuko directed his intense gaze at Toph. "I also need your help with something, if you're up for it."

"As long as it doesn't involve books or reading, I'm good."

"It doesn't. I need you to work with Masato and talk with the guards that patrol the palace. I want to know if anyone saw the assassins before or after the attack, and if any of them know about the Sons."

"And you want me to see if they can be trusted, right?"

Zuko nodded solemnly. "That's the idea. The first guards that you clear for duty I want posted outside of Katara's room for tonight."

"Zuko," Katara protested, "I don't need guards outside of my room while I sleep."

"I'm not going to leave you unprotected again, Katara," he firmly replied, "The guards stay."

She was preparing herself for a mental battle of wills with him, when something in Zuko's eyes stopped her words dead in their tracks. It was easy to see the slow-simmering anger in his tone and body language, but underneath that, she realized, lay the worry and fear that he was trying so desperately to hide. _My safety really does mean everything to him. Zuko…_ She wanted to go and embrace him, and tell him that it was going to be okay, but at the present, that was impossible.

"I'll have two guards up here immediately," Masato informed Zuko, "We'll make sure to talk to them first."

"Good, make sure they understand – Toph?" Zuko suddenly looked concerned, and when Katara glanced at Toph, she saw the earthbender cock her head to the side, as if she were listening. "What is it?"

Toph listened for a moment longer before answering. "Someone's heading for this room, and they're trying _very_ hard not to be heard."

Zuko, Masato, and Hakado immediately tensed at her words, and sprang into action. Spreading out in a semi-circle in front of the door, they took up defensive stances as they waited for the unknown intruder to enter. Katara was once again cursing her current weak state, and had just made up her mind to try to gather some water to her when the door opened. A small figure quickly slipped through the small opening, and when Katara realized who it was, her eyes widened in shock, along with Zuko's and Masato's.

" _Liem?!_ "

Both Zuko and Masato shouted the name at the same time, and the young boy's face broke out into a huge grin. "Surprised to see me?"

Masato scowled at him. "How in Agni's fiery doom did you get in here?"

Liem smirked. "I snuck past the guards. And believe me, it wasn't hard." He surveyed the rest of them with a critical eye. "By the state of things around here, and the fact that the whole lot of you about jumped me when I came in, I'm guessing something happened?"

"There's been another assassination attempt," Masato quietly explained, "They tried using poisoned daggers this time, and all dressed like servants. Two went after Zuko, and one for Katara."

 _Zuko…_ Katara shuddered to think about what would have happened if they had gotten to Zuko. _If something happened to him_ … she didn't want to continue the thought.

Liem solemnly nodded at the news. "Doesn't surprise me, with the Sons being involved."

"And how do you know about them?" Hakoda was giving the boy a very suspicious stare, so Zuko quickly explained. "Liem has had a run in with them before." Zuko tried to reassure him. "Liem is a friend, Hakoda. We can trust him."

This actually produced a chuckle from Liem. "Believe me, if I wanted to do His Highness some harm, I would've had plenty of opportunities to turn him in for my weight's worth of gold. I prefer to keep him around, for future employment, that is."

"He's telling the truth." Toph told the others, and even she looked a little surprised at her own words.

"Wait...how did you know that I wasn't lying?" When he realized how that sounded, a sheepish grin appeared on his face as he glanced at Zuko. "Not that I would ever lie to you or anything, Zuko-"

Toph quickly interrupted him, "-That's a lie."

"I mean, all I've only ever wanted to do was help-."

"-Lie."

"Okay, so there was some money involved at the start. A guy's gotta take care of himself, right?"

Toph grinned. "Truth."

Liem looked amazed. "How are you doing that?"

"I use my earthbending to sense the vibrations and changes in people's bodies, most notably their pulse. When people lie, their bodies' signals change, even if it is slight."

"And you can use that ability anytime, anywhere?" When she nodded, a mischievous gleam entered his eyes, and he rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Have you ever played at dice?"

"Liem-" Masato warned in a low voice.

A wicked grin appeared on Toph's features, "Yes, I have, actually. You know were some high stakes games are?"

This time it was Zuko who spoke up. "Toph, don't encourage him-"

"Are you kidding me?" Liem ignored the other two, "I know where _all_ the high rollers go to gamble in this city. Just one night with us out in this city, and we could bag more gold than we could carry on an ostrich horse." He practically giggled. "Make that _ten_ ostrich horses."

" _Liem_!" This time, to emphasize his point, Masato reached over to Liem and literally grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "If you don't cut it out, I _will_ throw your scrawny hide in the prison for the night. Got it?"

"Alright, alright. I got it, Masato. Gzeesh, I was just talking."

With a nod, Masato released his hold on the boy. "Now, I know you came here for some reason, aside from being a royal pain in the arse. So what is it?"

With a last indignant look at Masato, he turned to Zuko and gathered his composure. "I found the shopkeeper you were looking for in Harbor City, his name is Fumio. He wasn't that hard to tail either. Late last night I followed him to one of the seedier bars down by the water in Harbor City." Liem grimaced. "I've been to a lot of shady, dirty places in this city, but this place gave a new meaning to word 'rough'. Anyways, he kept to himself for a long time, and I was beginning to think the whole trip was a waste, when a man in some of fancy armor came up and sat at his table."

"Fancy armor?" Katara asked him curiously.

"Yeah, never seen anything like it before, very fancy detail, in blue and black. Definitely not Fire Nation issued."

"That sounds exactly like the guy from the first attack," Katara observed, and Zuko quickly agreed with her. "It does. I don't think it's just a coincidence. It has to be the same guy."

"His name is Goro, or at least, that's what he's going by, anyways. It looks like your shopkeeper is part of the eyes and ears network for the Sons of Sozin, and whenever they need to exchange information, they meet up at this particular inn. Most of the conversation was about two other contracts the Sons have going right now, but they did briefly talk about you two there towards the end."

"What did they say?"

"Not much. Our buddy Goro wasn't too happy with the information, or lack of, that Fumio passed along about the two of you for the attack the other day. Fumio got pretty defensive at this and spouted a bunch of different excuses. He did mention, at the last, that he didn't even know why the water tribe girl was so important, or why she has to be killed first. Goro basically said it was none of his business, and the job was going to be taken care of soon anyways."

"He was talking about tonight," Masato regretfully stated, and Toph spoke up. "But why did they specifically mention that they had to take care of Katara first?"

"Not sure. But you can bet that if the Sons ordered it to be done a certain way, there's a definite reason behind it, whatever it is."

Zuko stared hard at Liem. "If this all happened last night, why are you just now coming to us with this?"

"After the two of them finished talking, I decided to follow Goro, to see if I could find out anything else. He went down to the docks and boarded one of the ships there. It never left port, though, so I thought I'd wait it out and catch a little shut-eye to see what would happen in the morning. Our guy finally came out around noon, but he caught a ride up to the caldera, so I lost him." A determined light entered his eyes. "But I wasn't about to give up just yet, so I decided to head back to the capital and go to the inn I had last seen them at. Sure enough, eventually Goro showed up with a few of his other tattooed friends to hang out there. With what happened the last time I was there, I thought it would be better that I'd keep my distance, and come back to let you know what I'd found out."

Masato nodded in approval. "So you _do_ have some good sense left in that thick skull of yours. That's good to know."

The boy shot him a dirty look, but Zuko quickly forestalled any argument between the two. "You did the right thing, Liem. Now we need to make sure to follow up on this lead."

"Someone else is approaching," Toph stated calmly, "But they aren't trying to hide it."

"Perhaps it's the healer?" Hakoda suggested, and Toph concentrated for a moment. "I think you're right."

"The healer," Zuko replied thoughtfully. It seemed he was trying to puzzle something out, and suddenly, the color drained out of his face. "That's it."

Katara immediately became concerned. "Zuko, what's wrong?"

"That has to be why they're after Katara, and why they want to get to her first."

"What are you talking about?" Liem asked, and Zuko elaborated, his voice hardened with anger. "The Sons of Sozin know that Katara is a master waterbender and a healer. They know that she can quickly heal any injury I would sustain in their attacks."

Masato grimly nodded, "And therefore eliminate any chance of success."

"Yeah, I guess makes sense," Toph admitted, "in a twisted sort of way."

"I've heard the rumors about the waterbender who could heal any injury, no matter how serious it is, including death itself." Liem glanced at Katara. "And if I've heard about it, the Sons of Sozin certainly have as well."

Katara shook her head ruefully, "That's not true…at least, not anymore. I used up all the water from the Spirit Oasis when I healed Aang after Azula's attack."

"But the Sons wouldn't know about that. To them, that would be one more reason why they can't afford to keep you around."

At that point, the door opened and the healer, a middle-aged woman carrying a large bag, came in and addressed Zuko. "Fire Lord Zuko, I am here to offer my assistance."

"Thank you. You have something to help with dizziness?"

"Yes, Your Highness." The woman then looked around the room, mainly at all the people gathered in the room. "Perhaps it might be better if we had a little more privacy in the room?"

Zuko's gaze darted to Toph, who gave a slight nod of her head. Whatever it meant, it seemed to satisfy him, and then he addressed Masato. "Masato, you and Toph start working on talking to the guards, and I want some posted outside the door immediately."

"It will be done, Fire Lord Zuko." Masato gave a bow to Zuko, while Toph clapped her hands together, "Let's do this."

As they were heading out, Liem turned to Zuko, "I guess I'll be leaving too then."

"For right now, I want you to go back to the inn and keep watch on what's going on and who's moving in and out of the place." Zuko held up a warning finger. "But keep your distance. I don't want you to risk getting caught."

"Oh, no worries about that," Liem grinned, "I got this down now." Zuko shook his head at the remark as the young boy quickly left behind the others.

By this time, the healer had several bottles out on a table next to her, and was already mixing something together in a chalice. When the woman was done, she came over to Katara and held out the glass to her.

Katara grimaced, "Do I even want to know how this will taste?"

"Best to drink it down quick, my lady."

 _I shouldn't have even asked,_ Katara thought sourly. She took the cup from the woman and tried to swallow down the concoction as fast as she could. At least she didn't gag and splutter until it was all gone.

"That bad?" she heard her father ask, trying to make light of the moment. When Katara glanced at Zuko, she still saw him looking as grim as ever, and tried to get a smile out of him. "Well, at least it doesn't catch my tongue on fire, like a certain someone's cooking."

Zuko gave her a small half-smile, but she could tell his heart wasn't in it. An uncomfortable silence fell on the room, until the healer came up to Zuko with her packed bag in her hand. "The dizziness should go away very soon, Fire Lord Zuko. I also put a little something in the drink to help her sleep as well. It would be best to let the lady rest now."

He thanked the woman before she left, and then turned to Katara's father. "Hakoda, if I may, I would like to speak Katara alone."

Hakoda frowned slightly at his request, but finally nodded. "Alright." He came over to Katara, he reached out and gave her hand laying on the bed a gentle squeeze. "We'll talk more tomorrow. For now, you get some rest, Okay?"

"I will, Dad."

He then let her hand go, and with one last glance at Zuko, walked out of the room. Katara sighed. _Finally. I thought we'd never get to be alone._ When their gazes met, his expression finally softened, and he came and sat next to her on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as his hand came up to gently caress her face.

She smiled. "Better now, thanks to the present company. But what about you, Zuko? You've been worrying about me nonstop, but they came after you, too."

Dropping his hand, Zuko's expression became carefully neutral. "I'm fine. They never even got close to me."

"Zuko, I may be weak, tired, and partially drugged, but I can still tell when you're trying to hide something from me."

That finally brought a genuine smile to his lips. "Just like I can tell you're not going to let something go when that stubborn look appears on your face." His eyes affectionately traced over her features. "It's actually quite adorable."

Katara blushed slightly at his comment, but she was not going to let him distract her. "And trying to change the subject on me is not going to work either."

His smile vanished, and she saw a flash of anger in his eyes before he looked away. "The other two assassins did manage to get close to me, but Toph was able to stop them in time." His hands tightened into fists. "I shouldn't have let you go off alone like that. It was a stupid mistake on my part, and one that I almost paid dearly for."

"Zuko…" She hated to hear him so guilt-ridden, and suddenly she realized where some of his anger was coming from. "You think what happened to me was your fault, don't you?"

"It _is_ my fault." His jaw clenched in anger. "I'm the reason why they're after you."

"Zuko-"

"You nearly _died_ today, Katara. And all because someone has some kind of political or personal grudge against me." He squeezed his eyes shut, and continued on in a whisper. "Just staying here, with me, puts you in danger, and if I can't protect you…" Further words failed him as his voice became choked with emotion. Katara immediately reached out to him, in her need to comfort him.

"Zuko, everything is going to be okay. We have some new leads to follow, and our friends will be here to help us. We can do this, _together_." She placed her hand on the other side of face and slowly pulled his face towards her, making him look her in the eyes. "I'm not going to let you face this alone, Zuko."

The stormy cloud in his eyes stilled under her touch, and soon filled with warmth again as they stared into the depths of each other's eyes. It was so easy to lose herself in those fiery golden orbs. She slipped her hand from his cheek back behind his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. He gladly bent himself to her, and gently met her lips for the kiss. She could tell by the way his soft lips moved slowly over hers that he was holding himself back, out of consideration for her. Determined, she opened her mouth wider, to deepen the kiss, but he began to pull away.

"Katara…I really should be going. You need your rest."

"A few more kisses isn't going to hurt anything," she teased as she closed in and pressed her lips again to his. And this time, there was a definite heat present in his touch. When he finally pulled back, she could see the desire burning in his eyes.

"You're not fighting fair."

She grinned. "Who said anything about being fair?"

"I'm trying to be considerate. Not only do you need your sleep, but there's also an impatient and overprotective father waiting right outside. If I don't leave your room here in a few minutes, Fire Lord or no, there's going to be a very upset Dad storming in here demanding my hide."

That made her laugh. "So, let me get this straight. Facing your demented sister or father didn't scare you, nor did jumping off a cliffs into thin air. But yet when it comes to my dad, you're afraid."

He was insistent. "I'm not afraid, I'm just being cautious."

Zuko leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before standing up. Smiling, she watched as he headed towards the door and opened it. As he turned towards her again, a small smile appeared on his lips. "Sleep well, Katara." With one last look into her eyes, he walked out, pulling the door behind him.

Sighing, Katara slowly got up and carefully changed into another set of clothes she could sleep in. The bronze sun necklace, however, she stubbornly kept on. It was probably silly, but it felt comforting to have it touch her skin. Crawling into the large bed, she made herself comfortable, and tried to push away all the painful thoughts that haunted her. Clasping the necklace in her hand, she centered her thoughts around him… and eventually drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Closing the door behind him, Zuko leaned back against it, overwhelmed by all the emotions churning within his tumultuous mind. It was hard to stay strong and calm when the anger, fear, and worry that had plagued him ever since the attack continuously resurfaced. Just thinking about the attack and how Katara could have been killed made his stomach churn and his head swim.

There was no denying that she had quickly become the bright center in his life. Zuko had never felt so happy, so alive, as when he was around her. Her smiles, kisses, her whole personality… it was now becoming irresistible to him. Just the thought of being without her made him ache. He had promised to protect her, but today he had come dangerously close to losing her, and it was that thought kept haunting him.

 _It's my fault that the Sons of Sozin are after her in the first place. Every day she stays here, the danger grows. I have a few leads now, but it will take days or even weeks to try to follow them and eventually find out who's behind the whole attack. And in the meantime, they're still going to keep hunting us… How many more attacks will it take before they finally succeed? How can I protect her against something I can't see?_

That was the question that he needed to desperately answer. All his talks with Masato and Toph about the guards were aimed at trying to protect her, but Zuko knew that it wouldn't be enough. He knew how assassins worked, and that they would find a way to slip something past the guards in the palace, or arrange an ambush as soon as Zuko or Katara went out into the city. The threat itself needed to be eliminated, but finding out the people involved behind it would take time, and time was something he didn't have. The shadows lurking in his mind whispered to him of a way to keep her safe and out of harm's way, but the solution would be extremely painful, for the both of them. _There's got to be another way…there has to be…_

With a great effort, Zuko pushed away his dark thoughts and fears, and concentrated on what he needed to do. He had to keep moving, to keep trying to find some answers. Focused once again, he straightened up and strode out of Katara's rooms, his mind already telling him what he needed to do next. When he stepped into the hallway, he saw that there were already two guards posted on either side of the door to Katara's suite. It was good to know that Toph and Masato were already on top of things.

Both guards bowed and addressed him as he turned to them. "No one is to come in or out of these rooms the rest of the night, for any reason, unless I am personally escorting them. And I mean no one. No servants, no other guards, no officials. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko."

"Good." He resumed his walk down the hall towards his next destination. He had only gone a few feet, however, when Hakoda approached. Zuko slowed down when he saw Hakoda open his mouth to speak to him.

"Zuko, the two of us really need to talk."

"I know, Hakoda." He made sure to look the other man in the eyes. "We do need to talk, but I need to see to something first, or rather, someone."

"Who? If you don't mind my asking."

Zuko could feel his anger returning, despite his best efforts. "My father."

Hakoda looked surprised. "Ozai? Do you need me to come along?"

"Thank you, but no. This is something I have to do by myself."

"What do you hope to accomplish by visiting him?"

"I need to get some answers to some very important questions, and he can provide them."

Zuko's steps echoed down the corridor as he again strode purposely towards his goal. _I have to find a way. Time is running out._

* * *

 **Author's Note** : By the end of this chapter, the reality of the situation Zuko is in really starts to sink in for him. This chapter further illustrates how the situation in the Fire Nation is far from the idyllic "happily ever after" scene we are left with in the show after Zuko's coronation. Many people within the Fire Nation are still hesitate about Zuko becoming Fire Lord (and some still think he is a traitor), as seen by the fact that some of his own generals and soldiers refuse to come back to the capital under his control. The assassins infiltrating the palace has hit Zuko hard, not only because he and Katara were nearly killed, but also because it underscores the fact that he has inherited a whole palace/Nation but doesn't know who he can really trust (he still doesn't know who hired the Sons of Sozin, nor how they were able to get into the palace without any alarms sounding). The events in the previous chapters will continue to weigh heavily on Zuko as he tries to figure out what to do next as the new Fire Lord.

Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter-thanks so much for reading!


	13. Letting Go

"How can that kid keep disappearing into thin air? If I didn't know better, I'd swear he created some kind of invisibility-bending or light-bending." Sokka was frowning as he walked next to Suki down the corridor by Aang's room. Despite his injury, Sokka still kept up a good pace beside her as they searched for their friend.

"He's got to be here somewhere, Sokka," Suki answered him, "We just got to keep looking." When they came to a large hallway intersection, something told her to turn left, and Sokka unquestioningly followed her. Unfortunately, there wasn't much down the passage, just a few closed rooms with a large veranda at the end of it. Still following her instincts, Suki lead the two of them out onto the large platform, which overlooked the palace grounds beneath them.

"Well, we finished sweeping this section of the palace." The disappointment in Sokka's voice was easy to hear. "He either disappeared into thin air, or he decided to get adventurous and hide in one of other dozens of rooms in this huge monstrosity of a palace." His face screwed up in concentration, and he sounded deep in thought. "Or… I got it!" He smiled triumphantly. "He must have found one of those mystic lion-turtles lurking in the palace grounds, and he up and magically vanished again. He'll be back in a few days, just you wait."

She liked that no matter how dire their situation, Sokka could always manage to make her smile…even if it meant coming to zany, impossible conclusions. "He's probably here in the palace still, just maybe somewhere unnoticeable...or out of reach." _Hmm. If I was an airbender, where would I go…_ As Suki looked up at the roof a little ways down, she recognized the long, thin tail hanging over the side. _Momo... I bet he's with Aang_. She turned to Sokka and pointed towards the spot. "I think I've found him."

"That's kinda a let down. I was hoping to meet one of those lion-turtle things and get them to teach me energy bending."

Suki smirked. "Maybe it will happen, one day. In the meantime, I'm going to go check on Aang."

"Alright." Sokka's answer was less than pleased, probably due to his frustration with his lingering injury, but she could tell that he trusted her judgment. It was one of the many things she loved about him. "I'll be close by in case you need me."

"Thanks, Sokka."

He gave her a small smile before leaning in to kiss her. Though Suki was tempted to prolong their kiss, she regrettably pulled away, and returned his smile before turning towards her destination. Nimbly jumping onto the balcony railing, she then leaped up to grab the edge of the roof and quickly propelled herself onto its surface.

Just as she had suspected, she found Aang and Momo near its edge, with Aang on his back, looking up at the stars above him. His gaze remained steadfastly fixed on the scenery above him as Suki approached him and sat down next to him. Even by the starlight, sitting this close to him, she could tell his eyes were puffy from crying. Instead of speaking right away, she turned her gaze, along with Aang's, to the night sky above them. They remained like that for a few minutes, before Aang quietly spoke.

"So, everyone knows what happened with me and Katara, huh?"

"Yeah, we kinda pieced it together."

"And did Katara send you to come check on me?"

Hearing the bitterness in his words, Suki looked down at her friend, her voice gentle. "I came because we _all_ care about you, Aang, and we wanted to make sure you're okay."

"Yeah, I'm doing great," he scathingly replied, "never been better."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Sometimes talking about it can help, Aang. Keeping it all bottled up inside is not the answer."

"I just…" he bit his lip. "…it hurts to think about Katara. I thought she was the one for me. I thought we were going to be together." Aang looked away. "I feel like the world's biggest fool."

"Well, you're not. We can't help who we fall in love with. It's just part of who we are." Suki thought about her own past experiences, and continued on, a little more somber. "I know it hurts a lot right now, and it seems really unfair, but it will get better, with time."

As Aang turned back to her, a surge of anger seeped into his voice. "But you _don't_ know how I feel right now. You have Sokka. He never told you he just wanted to be friends."

Despite his outburst, Suki remained calm and insistent. "I'm not going to pretend to know exactly how you feel, Aang, but I do know where you're coming from. Because it happened to me, before I ever met Sokka."

"It did?" His anger quickly vanished, to be replaced with surprise. "When?"

"It happened a few years ago." As she remembered back to this particular memory, a small remnant of the sadness and pain came back to her. "Growing up, the family who lived next to us had a son who was the same age as me, whose name was Akito. Since neither one of us had siblings, we would come over to each other's houses and play together all the time. For years, we were practically inseparable, and as we got older, I developed a crush on Akito." A faint blush came over Suki as she recalled her previous feelings. "I thought that we'd always be together, and that one day we would even get married."

"Wow, you must have really liked him."

Suki nodded. "I did, and I thought that he felt the same way about me. When our annual Kyoshi day festival came closer, I was excited because I was sure that Akito would take me as his date. But as the day of the festival approached, I found out that he had asked another girl to be his date. At first, I didn't want to believe it. I thought that I was the only one that deserved to be with him. That night, during the dance, I went looking for Akito, and when I found him, he was kissing another girl."

Staring off into the distance, she softly continued. "It hurt, seeing them together. It didn't seem fair at all, because I believed I was closer to Akito than any other girl out there. I confronted him about it soon afterwards. He told me that he really liked me, and that he still thought of me as his friend, but not as a _girl_ friend." She sighed. "I stormed off after Akito told me that, and I was so furious with him that I didn't speak to him for a while."

"Did you two stay friends?"

"Eventually, yes. For the first few months, we didn't really talk much. Part of me was still angry at Akito, so I spent all my extra time training harder for the Kyoshi warriors. One of my teachers, who had been my mentor since I was girl, noticed that I was upset. When I told her about what had happened, she talked to me and helped me to realize something." Her gaze shifted back to her friend, and when his grey eyes met hers, she told him. "The whole time I thought it was unfair that Akito didn't like me, but really, I was the one who was being unfair. I had no right to be angry towards Akito because of something he did or didn't feel. That was just part of who he was, and if I really was his friend, I would accept that. So, in time, I did. Akito and I started talking again, and we stayed friends."

"So," Aang replied with a frown, "you're saying that I should just be happy being her friend."

"I can't tell you what to do or how to feel, Aang, just like I couldn't change how Akito felt about me. The only people we can change are _ourselves_."

Aang glanced away and fixed his gaze once again on the stars, but Suki could tell that he was thinking about what she had said. Several long moments passed before he actually spoke. "The monks used to have a saying, 'The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change. So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger, but in wisdom, understanding and love'." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I know what I need to do. I know that I need to let my attachment for her go. But knowing doesn't make it any easier."

Suki reached over and squeezed Aang's hand. "I know it may not sound like much right now, but I think everything happens for a reason. If things had worked out differently between me and Akito, I probably wouldn't be here today, with Sokka and the rest of you guys. Though I didn't understand it at the time, it all kinda happened the way it needed to, to get me where I am today."

"So, you think there's someone else out there that I'm meant to be with?"

She smiled. "Well, I know there's only one way to find out."

"Yeah, I guess there is." A small, half-smile formed on his lips. "Thanks, Suki."

"You're welcome. You know you can talk to me anytime you need to, Aang."

"I know."

Suki slowly stood up. "You coming in?"

His expression was thoughtful. "I will, in a moment."

"Alright." She turned and started the climb back down to the veranda. _It will get better in time, Aang. I promise, it will._

* * *

The man kneeling on the floor cringed as Zuko approached him, his grey eyes almost fearful as they watched the other's every move. Considering the state of things and Zuko's current mood, it wasn't completely unwarranted. Visiting Ozai had already put him in a darker mood, and soon as he had come back to his office later in the night, Masato and Toph had presented him with their first known informant inside the palace for the assassins. Right now, Zuko was finding it _very_ hard to keep a check on his temper.

"How did you find him?"

Masato, who had a firm grip on one of the man's arms, scowled. "He was part of the palace staff working next to us when we were talking to one of the guards." He gestured towards Toph. "Suddenly, this one pointed straight at him and basically told him to stay put."

"When he overheard our conversation, his heartbeat went through the roof," Toph explained wryly, "It was pretty obvious that he was hiding something."

"Then, Jun here got the bright idea to try to make a mad dash for it, so we grabbed him." Masato smiled grimly. "He got pretty chatty once he realized he wasn't going anywhere."

Zuko placed himself directly in front of Jun, and when he aimed his hard stare down upon the man, Jun visibly gulped. "How long have you been in contact with the Sons of Sozin?"

"A few years, Fire Lord Zuko." He began to fidget nervously. "But I don't do much. I just tell them a few things every now and then, about what's going around in the palace."

"And so you told them about Katara and I being back at the palace, and about the upcoming dance, didn't you?"

"Y-yes, Your Highness. They very specifically asked about the two of you, so I told them what I knew."

"There's more to it than that." Toph told Jun. "Keep talking."

Jun cast a furtive glance at Toph, and when he saw her expression, he immediately turned back to Zuko. "Sometimes, they ask me to do things for them. But just little things, errands mostly…nothing major. I was supposed to leave three sets of servants' outfits right outside the palace. They didn't tell me nothing else, just where and when to leave it, so I did. But that was it, I didn't do anything else." He started to tremble as he cast a pleading gaze towards Zuko. "I certainly didn't know anything about an assassination. I swear, as Agni as my own witness, that I didn't know they were coming after you, Fire Lord Zuko. I would have never helped them otherwise."

As Zuko continued to stare down at the man below him, he could feel the red, hot anger building inside of him. _He was part of it…part of the reason why they almost got to me…and Katara._

"Um, Sparky? Are you trying to burn down the room?"

Toph sounded worried, and Zuko saw why when he followed her and Masato's gaze around them. All the candles that were scattered throughout the room had suddenly and violently flared up tall enough that they nearly touched the ceiling, and were putting off a noticeable amount of extra heat. Zuko swiftly used his firebending to gain control of the individual flames, and bring them back down to their original size.

Noticing the still worried looks he was getting from both Masato and Toph, Zuko took a deep breath, and took a firmer grasp over his temper. "I'm fine." He was about to reassure them again when there was a knock on the door, and a familiar voice could be heard through the door.

"Zuko, it's Hakoda."

"Come in."

One of the guards from the hallway opened the door to let Hakoda into the office. The other man quickly noted the others in the room, and assessed the situation. "Am I interrupting something?"

"We found a spy for the Sons of Sozin," Toph answered, causing Hakoda to frown.

"Was he the one that helped the assassins get into the palace?"

"He was part of it. We think there was another guard involved, but he split before we could get to him."

Masato grimaced. "It was a new guard that came over this morning to help with the extra security. He must have gotten tipped off before the two of us could talk to him."

"What about the rest of the guards?" Zuko glanced between Masato and Toph. "Do you think there were any others?"

Toph shook her head. "The rest of the guards that were here tonight are all clean. We had just gotten to the last of them when we discovered Jun."

"So, if he was gathering information from inside the palace," Hakota observed, "who was he reporting to on the outside?"

When all four of them aimed their stares at Jun, the man cringed. "I…I don't know any names. They always kept everything very hush-hush…and quite frankly, I didn't want to know anything more. The less you know, the less attention you attract to yourself."

"He's telling the truth, unfortunately." Toph's tone sounded regretful, but Zuko wasn't ready to let it go. Some of his frustration leaked into his words. "But you have to know _something_. How did you pass along your information?"

"They had me meet one of their men at one of the local inns here in the city. Here lately, it's been the same man."

"Let me take a wild guess…" Toph wryly commented, "The man you met was dressed in black and blue armor, right?"

Jun looked amazed, "How did you know that?"

She rolled her eyes, "Among my host of amazing talents, I can also read minds."

"Or pretty close to it, anyways," Masato muttered, then abruptly cleared his throat and glanced at Jun. "So this inn you mentioned…would it happened to be called The Weeping Merchant?"

"Yes. That's the one."

"I thought so. That's the one Liem mentioned to me he was going to go stake out before he high-tailed it out of here."

"That same inn again," Hakota mused, "Could that be their headquarters?" But Hakoda had barely finished speaking before Jun was already shaking his head in disagreement.

"No, the Sons would never let non-members anywhere near a place that important. They have all kinds of systems and layers in place to protect their group and their hideout. Secrets within secrets, within more secrets."

"Yeah, I think we get the point," Toph glared at him, "Thanks."

Hearing Jun's words only confirmed Zuko's worst suspicions and fears. He focused his attention back on Jun, but he addressed Masato. "I think we've gotten all the information we can out of him. We're done here."

"What would you like me to do with him?"

Looking at the Jun, all he felt was disgust. "He is to be charged with conspiracy and taken to the capital city prison."

Masato nodded and began to lift the man off the floor when Hakoda interjected. "I don't mean to countermand your authority, Zuko, but it might be more useful to us to keep him out of prison."

"How so?"

"Well, if we throw him in prison, the Sons of Sozin are just going to find someone else here in the palace to get them information, and then we'll have to start the search for a spy all over again. But if we let him stay here in the palace, not only will be able to keep track of him, but we can also control the information that he gives to the Sons of Sozin."

Masato sounded impressed. "Pretty clever, I have to admit."

"I think it could work." Toph pointed to Masato. "The big guy and I can make sure to keep an eye on him, and check up on him regularly."

Part of him still didn't like the idea, because every time he looked at Jun, he thought about how close the assassinations came to succeeding. However, what the others said made sense. "It would take care of several problems, as long as we make sure he cooperates."

Jun nodded enthusiastically at Zuko's words. "Yes. I will cooperate, I swear it. I will do whatever you wish of me, Fire Lord Zuko. Just please let me stay here."

Zuko funneled some of the cold fury he had been holding inside of him into his gaze and his voice, and when he locked gazes with Jun, the man's eyes widened in fear. "For what you did, or _nearly_ did, you deserve much worse. However, I am going to give you a chance to redeem yourself and your honor. You will give us your cooperation and work with Masato, and do _exactly_ what he says." Zuko stepped closer to Jun, and he immediately shrank back away from him. "But if you even so much as _think_ of lying to us or deceive us in any way, I will make sure to throw you in the deepest, darkest cell I can find for the rest of your miserable life. Is that clear enough for you?"

The man looked like he was fixing to faint, "Y-Yes, Your Highness. I swear, on my life, I will cooperate."

"Good." Zuko turned away from the man. "Get him out of here."

Masato grabbed the man and literally drug him out of the room. Once Jun had been securely handed over to one of the extra guards, Masato came back in the room, shutting the door behind him.

Toph quirked an eyebrow at Zuko. "Wow, Sparky. That was pretty intense. I think you even made _me_ feel a little nervous with that last speech."

Zuko, however, was in no mood to banter with her. All could think about was the ever-growing threat that presented itself in the Sons of Sozin. The more he learned about the organization, the more he realized they were much larger and more deadly than he had first estimated. He had a duty to protect those around him, and it was time to start living up to his responsibilities.

"Right now, the Fire Nation is still unstable and unsafe. We still have generals and troops within our own nation that are unaccounted for and dangerous, and we also have to deal with the Sons of Sons that have infiltrated the palace and the surrounding cities. That's why I think it would be best if all the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdoms citizens leave the city immediately, for their own safety. I don't want any more innocent people caught up in this."

Hakoda didn't seem surprised by Zuko's announcement. "That's actually one of the things I wanted to talk to you about." Zuko wondered what else was on the older man's mind, but Hakoda continued on. "I've been out checking on my men and some of the other released prisoners. We have a couple hundred people that need to get back home, with none of our own transportation to make the journey."

Zuko knew what Hakoda was asking. "We should be able to spare a few ships to escort them back to other nations. I'll pass along the order so that they can leave in the next day or two." _Now for the other part._ He caught Hakoda's, and then Toph's gaze. "There's something else the two of you need to know about."

Zuko went and walked behind his desk, grabbing the recently opened letter that was sitting on top. With the letter in hand, he approached the two of them. "A messenger hawk just came in with a letter from Iroh in Ba Sing Se." Thinking about his uncle reminded Zuko of just how much he missed him, but he pushed this aside, and related his uncle's news. "The Order of the White Lotus has successfully taken back the Earth Kingdom capital from the Fire Nation troops in the city. They have the city under their control now."

"Sweetness!" Toph exclaimed, "I knew those old geezers could do it!"

"That _is_ good news." Hakoda pointed at the letter. "May I?"

Zuko nodded, and handed over the folded parchment. "The transition went pretty smooth, considering. There were only a few minimum injuries for both sides, and the damage was relatively contained. Iroh and others are all doing well."

Hakoda, who had been quickly scanning over the written contents, suddenly looked up at Zuko. "So now they need the Earth King back in the city, to officially transfer control back to the Earth Kingdom."

"Yes, and the sooner Kuei takes over, the better."

"Does anyone even know where he is?"

Toph snorted. "The last time we saw His Zaniness, he and his pet bear Bosco were going to travel the world."

"Well, his vacation is officially over now," Zuko told them, "which is why my uncle has asked us to help them find Kuei and bring him back to the city. I can't leave the city, so Toph and the others will have to go search for him."

"Not so fast, Sparky." Frowning, Toph crossed her arms. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"This isn't optional, Toph. Finding the Earth King is a top priority right now. You and the others have to make sure this gets done."

"Yes, it's important, but the rest of them can do it without me. You still need my help, so for the time being, I'm staying right here."

This was exactly was Zuko didn't want. "No, you're not. You're leaving tomorrow with the others, and that's final."

"I said I'm staying, and there's nothing you can do to change that." Toph squared her stance, and pointed a finger at him accusingly. "Whether or not you want to admit it, the fact is that you need my help. You have no idea right now who to trust in your own palace, and I'm only one in this place who can help you figure that out." She glared at him. "And need I remind you of who just saved your butt from the last attack? If you ever hope to find out who's behind these attacks, and live to see your next birthday, you're going to need me and my skills."

"She does have a valid point, Your Highness." Masato looked hesitantly between Zuko and Toph. "Without her, I would have never found Jun tonight, and it will make sweeping the rest of the palace staff go a lot faster."

Zuko made sure to put a little heat in his response. "I'm not going to put Toph in danger just because it'll make the task go easier or faster, Masato."

"So that's what this is really about, isn't it?" Understanding seemed to come over her. "You're sending everyone away to try to protect them." When he didn't answer right away, she pushed on. "You can't deal with this on your own, Sparky. You're going to need some people you can trust and who can help put an end to this. _And_ , I'm not on the Sons of Sozin's list, so I'm actually in less danger than you are."

He wasn't happy about it, but he realized that she was right. That, and at the moment he honestly couldn't figure out how he would transport a stubborn earthbender who didn't want to be moved. "Are you sure about this, Toph? This isn't a decision to make lightly."

She gave a quick nod. "I know, but I've already made it. I'm staying."

"Alright." Perhaps he did feel a little better, knowing that he had another friend here. "It's pretty late. Why don't you and Masato go ahead and get some rest. I'll see you again in the morning."

"Sounds like a good idea." Masato respectfully bowed, and headed for the door.

"Make sure you take your own advice, Sparky." She made sure to give him a stern look before following Masato out.

Zuko stood staring at the closed door, lost in his thoughts, until Hakoda's suddenly spoke up.

"So did you find the answers you were looking for, with Ozai?"

 _Ozai…_ Just thinking again about his conversation with his father just a couple hours earlier set Zuko's teeth on edge.

 _Ozai never stirred from his spot where he sat hunched against the wall, and he refused to even look at Zuko. "And why should I tell you anything? What would I possibly gain by giving you the information you want?"_

 _Zuko tried to keep his tone civil. "Your honor, and the knowledge that you did the right thing."_

 _"Ah, yes," Ozai's lip curled up into a snarl, "because that knowledge would make my time in here_ so _much more enjoyable."_

 _Anger bubbled up inside of Zuko, and he lurched forward, grabbing the cold, metal bars of the prison cell. "For once in your life, Ozai, do something that could benefit someone besides yourself."_

 _"Even if I did know who led the Sons of Sozin, that knowledge wouldn't do you any good. They have stayed hidden for centuries, despite several attempts to locate them." He sneered. "A miserable failure such as yourself would never been able to find them."_

 _Zuko's hand clenched tighter around the bars. "You have to know something. I know that you've had dealings with them in the past."_

 _"Yes...they are the best at what they do. That's why I hired them to take care of your mother."_

 _"What?!" His breath caught. "What do you mean? What did they do to her?" When his father stayed silent, something inside of Zuko snapped, and he yelled at the hunched figure. "What happened to my mother! Tell me!"_

 _Ozai, however, was unfazed. "After I banished that traitorous mother of yours, I had the Sons of Sozin escort her out of the country. It was their job to make sure that she stayed far away from the Fire Nation, and that she knew the consequences for disobeying my orders."_

 _Zuko felt a surge of hope. "Where did they take her?"_

" _If you really want to know where your mother is, you'll need to ask them." Ozai uttered a dry laugh. "But then, since you came to me asking about them, I can only assume that the Sons have taken in interest in you. So I guess you_ will _be seeing them soon." When his father finally turned to look at him, his golden eyes were cold and heartless. "They won't stop until they've finished their task. You can ask all the questions you want, and search day and night for them, but it won't change the inevitable…"_

"Zuko?" Hakoda's voice brought Zuko back to the present. "What is it?"

Despite his best efforts, Zuko couldn't shake the feeling of hopelessness that settled around him at remembering Ozai's words. "I asked my father about the Sons, but he didn't tell me much. Nothing of use, anyways."

Hakoda was silent for a moment, but then he fixed his gaze back on Zuko. "Zuko, there's something else that I needed to talk to you about. It's about Katara."

He had a feeling about where this was headed. Walking around to the other side of the desk, he tried to keep his voice level. "Yes, Hakoda?"

The other man studied him carefully. "If the others are leaving tomorrow to find the Earth King, then Katara should go with them, too."

Hakoda's words touched on the very internal struggle that Zuko had been fighting within himself all night long. _Katara…I almost lost her today. I can't let that happen again, but…_ he didn't want to finish the thought. Zuko knew what he had to do to ensure her safety, but he still wouldn't admit it, even to himself. "She's already made her decision to stay."

"Right now, Katara is letting her emotions cloud her judgment," Hakoda insisted, "By remaining here, not only is she putting herself in deliberate danger, but she's also ignoring her other responsibilities, to her own people and to the Avatar."

The voice inside of him agreed with Hakoda, but there was still a part of him that didn't want to give up…to let her go. "Katara is capable of making her own decisions, and if she wishes to stay, then I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. I _will_ find out who's behind the assassinations, and put a stop to both them and the Sons of Sozin."

"I don't doubt your resolve, Zuko, but even you have to admit that it's going to take several days, if not weeks, to do just that. You don't know yet how many spies the Sons of Sozin have here in the palace, who their leader is, where their headquarters are, or who ordered them to come after you. And while you and your men are out trying to follow the few leads that you do have, they'll strike again. As long as Katara stays here in the Fire Nation, she'll be in constant danger." Hakoda shook his head ruefully. "I've already tried talking to her about it once, but she won't listen to me." He gave Zuko a knowing look. "But something tells me that she'll listen to you."

Zuko closed his eyes and dropped his head, leaning onto the desk for support. "I can't make her leave."

"You can't, or won't."

Zuko took a deep, ragged breath as the conflicting desires within him wrenched at his heart. His voice was hardly a whisper. "I can't lose her."

"So I was right." Hakoda's words were more a statement than a question. "You do love her."

His mind summoned Katara's image to him, one so vivid that he felt as if she were standing before him. As he lovingly remembered every detail of her and thought about the way she made him feel, Zuko realized it was the truth. "I do."

"Then you understand why you're the only one who can convince her to leave."

Remembering back to their private moment during the dance, Zuko already knew that Katara wouldn't go, even if he begged her to. _She's already made up her mind, and nothing I say or do will change that, unless…_ A dark, desperate thought came to mind. _Unless I make her think I don't care about her anymore. No…I can't do that._ It wasn't until his hands began throbbing in pain that Zuko opened his eyes, realizing that they were clenched so tight that his fingernails were beginning to dig into his palms.

"Zuko?"

 _One way or another, I have to make sure that she leaves the city._ Despair began to claw at the edges of his mind, but he struggled to fight it off. _I can't fall apart now._ _I have to stay strong, and see this through._ "I'll make sure that Katara leaves tomorrow, Hakoda." Even to his own ears, his answer sounded cold and detached. "You have my word on it."

"Thank you, Zuko. I just want what's best for Katara." His tone became regretful, and tinged with sorrow. "I don't want to lose her, like I've lost so many others."

Zuko didn't trust himself to speak right then, so he merely nodded his head. Hakoda must have sensed some of what he was going through, because he started to excuse himself. "It's getting late. I'd better get going." The other man headed for the door, but stopped right before he opened it. "Take care, Zuko…" Hakoda paused, as if we were going to say something else, but he stopped, and merely gave a nod instead, and then opened the door to leave.

After Hakoda left, the room once again became silent, leaving Zuko alone with his dark thoughts. He had to focus…to steel himself for what was to come.

 _I promised to keep Katara safe, and I will honor that promise…no matter what the cost._

* * *

As Katara slowly emerged from her deep sleep, she gradually became aware of several things. She was still incredibly tired, and her soft bed felt so warm and comfortable that part of her wanted to drift right back to sleep. There was something that kept nagging her, though. It took a moment for her foggy brain to notice it, but she realized that the warmth was coming from a single source right next to her. Her curiosity finally won over her drowsiness, so she opened her eyes. Once her vision had adjusted to the soft, pre-dawn light that filtered through the room, her attention was immediately drawn off to her left. There, sitting on the edge of her bed, just a few inches from her, was Zuko.

He was casually dressed, with his dark hair falling freely into his eyes. His gaze, which had been fixed on her face, now widened slightly when he realized that she was awake. A sheepish expression crossed his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just stopped by to make sure you were okay."

"It's alright," Katara sleepily replied. "I'm just tired. Must be the medicine."

Zuko grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's still early. You should rest some more." He got up right away, and started to loosen his hold on her hand, but she suddenly gripped it tighter.

"Wait," she told him, but he quickly looked away. It could have just been her imagination, but he almost seemed anxious.

"I can't stay, Katara," he replied softly, "I have to get ready for my council meeting this morning."

"Well, you could at least give me a proper goodbye first."

She had meant it as a tease, but instead, a wave of sadness seemed to come over him. Without letting go of her hand, he sat back down on the bed, his golden eyes softening as he gazed at her. The power and emotion in them held her captive as he slowly studied her features, as if to memorize them. Then, almost hesitantly, he leaned down towards her. Right before their lips met, he paused and hovered there, as if he was unsure of himself. His indecision only lasted a moment, however, for then he closed the distance, and touched his lips to hers.

There was something in his kiss… It was soft and sweet, just as she had tasted so many times before, yet it somehow seemed bittersweet. Suddenly his lips became much more urgent, and his free hand came up to gently grasp her cheek, pulling her even deeper into the kiss. Before Katara was able to fully react, Zuko abruptly stopped, and quickly pulled away from her.

"I have to go," he whispered, almost too soft for her to hear. His reaction surprised her, and left her feeling confused. _What's going on?_

"Zuko…"

"We'll talk again later," he firmly interrupted, "After my meeting."

"Okay." What was it that she saw in his eyes? She tried to puzzle it out, but her mind was too tired to comprehend it.

Leaning down, Zuko placed a kiss on her forehead. "Try to sleep, Katara." Without meeting her gaze, he stood up and swiftly made his way to the door. As she watched him leave, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. _Perhaps it was the upcoming meeting that had him on edge. That has to be it._

She told herself that she was going to get up now, to get some bending practice in since it was extra early, but the bed was so comfortable…and she was still really tired… Giving in to her fatigue, she snuggled back under the covers. As she began to fall asleep, part of her thought back to the kiss that she and Zuko just shared. She had felt his desire and longing, but it had been different this time…as if it had a sad, almost haunted quality to it. Katara told herself she was just imagining things, and focused on going back to sleep. Soon enough, it all slipped away as she drifted once again to the world of dreams.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

One thing that really surprised me about writing this story was how much fun it was to write Toph's character. Even though she is a kid, she is a really grounded character that is very fun, insightful, and down-to-earth (no pun intended), and she is a really good balance to different personalities like Zuko's (and did I mention how bad-ass she is?). She will continue to be a key player in the story, not just for her bending skills, but because she is one of a handful of people that Zuko can completely trust in the coming days, and her friendship and support will be a big help for Zuko as he continues to hunt the Sons of Sozin.

I also put a little twist on the interaction between Zuko and Ozai. Watching the show, I couldn't believe that they left us hanging on what happened with Zuko's mom (talk about ending on a tease/cliffhanger!). I actually started reading "The Search" graphic novels, but couldn't finish them because I was so disappointed in them. I think (and this is just my own humble opinion) that several of the main characters were OOC and I really, _really_ didn't like what they did to Ursa and her backstory-once again, just my opinion, and no disrespect intended to people who enjoyed it. Since this story is AU anyways, I want to write my own version of what happened to Ursa, though it will come much later in the story.

Thanks for reading! :-)


	14. Standing at the Crossroads

The tapping of Zuko's fingers against the armrest of the Fire Lord's chair was the only sound heard in the throne room for several, long moments. The eight generals sitting around the council table, including Shinu and Ichiro, sat in silence as they gazed at the young Fire Lord in front of them. Their meeting had already gone on for several hours, and while they had touched on a variety issues, from military and governing matters to commerce and delegating positions, the whole ordeal was becoming a rigorous test between Zuko and his generals. It was as if each side were trying to see how far they could push the other, while still remaining loyal. The generals had protested and balked at nearly every mandate that Zuko had issued, stubbornly resisting the changes that he was trying to make for his nation's future. He was trying to be fair and just, and listen to his council's advice, but their stubborn and egotistical mindsets were severely straining Zuko's limited patience, and he already had to raise his voice at them a few times. The generals, as a whole, were walking a thin line between what they deemed as necessary actions of loyalty to him, and open defiance.

When Zuko finally spoke, he tried to keep his voice calm, yet assertive. "We are not going to be calling back every single soldier from the Fire Nation colonies. I merely want to pull the extra forces in those areas back to the capital. Each colony will still retain a skeleton force to help keep order in the area, for now."

"And what will we do with all those extra troops once they're back here?" General Shinu didn't try to hide the skepticism in his words. He had been the loudest and most critical voice against Zuko's ideas so far, and he had shown an open dislike of Zuko that nearly bordered on disrespect. It was a very thin line indeed. "If you let them loose in the city with nothing to do, they're going to start brawls and riots within the city, creating more problems."

Zuko was just about to speak when General Ichiro politely inclined his head. "Fire Lord Zuko, if I may?"

Ichiro was proving to be the one exception to the rule. Though he had voiced a few mild disagreements and opinions occasionally, for the most part Ichiro had been supportive of the measures that Zuko was trying to implement. It was the change Zuko saw in Ichiro that gave him the hope that eventually, the other generals would come around as well.

Zuko nodded. "Go ahead, General Ichiro."

"Thank you." Ichiro directed a sharp look at Shinu before continuing. "Those extra troops could be used for extra security, or be put to work here at the capital. With the rebuilding and restoration projects that Fire Lord Zuko has commissioned for the city and harbor, they could be used to bolster the labor work force and speed up production."

Shinu directed a sneer at Ichiro from across the table. "You want our soldiers, the pride and backbone of our military, to take up carpentry and manual labor? You might as well strip them of their rank while you're at it."

"Once again, _Shinu_ , your lack of understanding of your own soldiers simply amazes me." The contempt that Ichiro displayed towards his opponent equaled, if not surpassed, Shinu's own disposition. "Pride only exists for those who have the luxury to afford it, and most of our troops do not possess your vast sums of land or wealth. If offered a decent job and a steady pay, they will take that over the promise of nothing."

For what seemed like the umpteenth time that morning, the two generals engaged in a staring match, their loathing for each other clearly written on their faces. Off to Zuko's right, Kenshin nervously cleared his throat, in attempt to get their attention.

"General Shinu, I mean no disrespect, but I believe General Ichiro's assessment is accurate. You yourself had raised concerns, when the restoration was initially discussed, that we would not have the personnel to complete such tasks. This would no longer be an issue if we bring some of the troops back home and offer them the jobs."

Shinu finally broke off his gaze from Ichiro, only to redirect his contempt at the small man. "If I wanted your opinion, _peasant_ , I would have asked for it. Seeing as how I didn't-"

"-Enough, Shinu." Zuko's voice resounded throughout large room, effectively cutting off the other man's words. When Shinu turned his focus on him, he continued. "Not only is Kenshin the First Secretary, but he is also my personal assistant, and a valued member of my council. If you ever disrespect him in such a blatant manner again, I will strip _you_ of your rank and title."

Shinu's face paled in anger, but even he must have realized that he was in danger of crossing that line, and so remained silent. Suddenly standing up from his chair, Zuko descended the steps down to the table below, causing a few of the generals to shift nervously in their places. He swept his gaze around the table, and once he had met every one of their gazes in return, he began to speak.

"Each one of you men served under my father for many years, and by now you've come to realize just how different I am from him. I am the youngest Fire Lord in our nation's history, and that is why I value your experience and will listen to your advice. However, I will not tolerate the bigotry and prejudice that was present under my father's reign, nor will I tolerate any insubordination from my council. If you cannot follow my orders, then you will be replaced." Zuko paused to let his words sink in, and then continued. "We've covered enough for today's meeting. You are dismissed."

The men before him immediately stood up and gave their bows to him, and began to file out of the room one by one. Masato, who had been posted up by the door since the last part of the meeting, made sure to survey each of the generals as they left, until his steely gaze rested on Ichiro. The general hadn't moved since Zuko dismissed them, and when only he, Masato, Kenshin, and Zuko remained, he spoke up.

"There is one more matter I wished to speak to you about before I left, Your Highness."

"Why didn't you bring it up during the meeting?" Zuko asked him curiously as Masato and Kenshin came up and stood on either side of him. Ichiro, however, did his best to ignore the other two.

"As this was a very sensitive topic, I thought it best to bring it up in private."

"Alright, what is it about?"

Ichiro's face showed no emotion as he relayed his news. "Earlier during the meeting, you had mentioned that High General Bujing and his men were still missing, and that finding them was a top priority. I have just recently come across some information on where they are hiding out."

This took Zuko completely by surprise. "You know where he is?"

"We've been looking for the last couple of days and hadn't heard a single thing." Masato made no attempt to hide his suspicion as he glared at the general. "How is it that you just happened to come across this information?"

Ichiro's gaze narrowed slightly as he finally acknowledged the other man. "…Masato, is it? You'll have to forgive me. It's proven quite a task to remember the names of so many _new_ faces." Despite his polite and somewhat apologetic words, there was no mistaking his condescending tone. "You've been in your position, for what… a few days now? What with all the events that have taken place here recently, I doubt that you've had the time or the resources to conduct a thorough search of the city and the surrounding areas for Bujing. I, on the other hand, have been in my position for many, many years and so have obtained numerous ways to gain information, especially in my own city."

"You're talking about spies, of course." Masato leaned forward menacingly. "So tell me… why does a general of the Fire Nation army feel the need to keep a network of spies within the capital itself?"

" _If_ you had any knowledge or experience in such matters, you would know that anyone of political or financial importance within the caldera has their own informants within the city." He sneered. "Since you are so new to this, I'll forgive your ignorance and veiled accusations… _this time_."

Zuko had to put a stop to this before it got out of hand. He put a hand on Masato's arm, forestalling anything else that the large man was about to say. "Masato didn't mean any disrespect, Ichiro. We've all just been a little on edge lately, due to the security threats. Now, you said you knew where General Bujing and his men are?"

In a flash, Ichiro was once again cool and collected as he addressed his Fire Lord. "Yes, Your Highness. When Bujing left a little more than a week ago, he gathered some of the men that had been directly under his command and left in secret during the night. He and his men left on some of the airships stationed in our hangers. I had heard that you were looking for Bujing, so I decided to conduct my own search. My informants only just brought the new to me this morning." Ichiro then moved closer to the western end of the map inlaid on the table, towards the Fire Nation. "Unfortunately for Bujing, a couple of his men decided to drink excessively before they left that night, and let slip the name of their destination to some of the locals here. Their corroborated information points to the mountain ranges located just north of here."

Zuko took a closer look at where he was pointing. "You're talking about where the Western Air Temple is located?"

"Yes, very close to that location."

"That's at least a half-day's journey, by airship or navy fleet," Kenshin pointed out, "if not more."

Zuko's thoughts became laced with frustration. _Sorting out this mess with Bujing could take several days…time that I can't afford to be away from the city. I have to stay here and keep searching for the Sons of Sozin. Finding them is my top priority._ But thoughts of the Sons inevitably lead his mind to Katara, and the anxiety and fear of what today could bring. He quickly shut off that train of thought and made himself focus on the immediate problem in front of him.

Glancing back at the map, Zuko directed his question at the general. "Do we know how many men are with him?"

"As quick as he left, and with only taking three airships, I would say no more than fifty to sixty men."

"A relatively small force," Masato commented as he joined Zuko in his analysis of the map, "but still large enough that we can't afford to ignore him."

Zuko saw Ichiro's expression sour as he glanced at Masato, but thankfully he kept any remarks to himself. "A force will need to be taken up north to apprehend Bujing and his men. With your permission, Fire Lord Zuko, I could take the remaining airships and some of my men to capture him and bring him back to city."

While part of him liked Ichiro's plan, there was still a part of Zuko that found it hard to completely trust the general. "You would willingly go against your former superior officer, even if it came down to using force?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Bujing's actions can only be described as mutinous, and as such, he is to be considered a traitor. He must be dealt with."

It only took one good look into Ichiro's cold, hard eyes to know that the man was telling the truth. _I've been saying how I want to give people second chances…a chance to prove themselves. It has to start sometime._

"Alright, Ichiro, you will lead a force to the north to capture General Bujing. How soon could you leave?"

"If we start preparing immediately, I could leave before the night is out."

Zuko nodded. "Good. See that it happens."

Ichiro bowed. "Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko. It will be done."

When the general left the room, Zuko let out a small sigh. "I hope I did the right thing."

Kenshin quickly spoke up. "I believe you did, Your Highness. Ichiro is a very honorable man, and he has been your strongest ally on the council so far. I think he was the best one for the job."

"I don't like it." Masato's face became even stonier, if possible. "More specifically, I don't like _him_. He's up to something. I just know it."

"That's ridiculous, Masato," the small man protested, "Ichiro has done nothing to warrant any suspect. You are merely letting your prejudices against the man affect your judgment."

"Do you have any proof?" Zuko asked the large man, but he shook his head.

"No, I don't. It's just a feeling. But when you've been around as many criminals as I have, you learn to trust that feeling."

Zuko frowned. "I'm sorry, Masato, but I can't make a decision that will affect a man's entire life on just a 'feeling'. Unless you come across some solid proof, the matter needs to be dropped."

Masato gave a slight bow of his head. "Yes, Your Highness. I understand." He glanced at the doors. "I'd better get back to the palace sweeps. I told the kid that I wouldn't be gone long."

Zuko knew he was talking about helping Toph, so he nodded, and Masato promptly headed out.

"He's a little rough around the edges," Kenshin glanced sideways at Zuko, "but I know that he means well."

"Who, Masato?" Zuko had already been swept up in his own thoughts, and it took a moment to catch up to what the small man had said. "I know he does." _But how many more can I really trust? That's what I have to find out._

Kenshin followed Zuko out of the throne room, and they were quickly joined by two of the guards that had been posted on either side of the door. Masato had informed him that he was to have at least two guards with him at all times, both inside and outside of the palace, for as long as the Sons remained a direct threat. Zuko had rejected the idea at first, but Masato had refused to back down on the point, and even Toph and Kenshin had voiced their agreement on the idea. It wasn't until Toph threatened to shadow his every single move, though, that he finally gave in. He supposed it was one more thing he would have to get used to as being the new Fire Lord.

"Fire Lord Zuko?" Kenshin spoke up next to him, bringing Zuko out of his thoughts.

"Yes, Kenshin?"

"I need to continue going through Daichi's records now, unless you had something else for me?..."

Zuko shook his head. "No, Kenshin, that will be all for now."

The small man bowed. "Yes, Your Highness." He started to turn, but then stopped. "Oh…I also wanted to thank you…for what you said to General Shinu in my defense." Kenshin blushed slightly. "It meant a lot to me. I just wanted you to know that."

"You're welcome," Zuko quietly replied, which made Kenshin smile before he turned to walk away. His assistant's departure reminded Zuko of what he still needed to do, though the very thought made his stomach twist with anxiety. Regardless, he knew he couldn't put it off any longer.

Taking a deep breath, Zuko gathered his resolve and started off down the corridor, this time heading to the guest quarters, and more specifically, Katara's room. Every step he took towards his destination seemed to feel heavier than the last, but he made himself push forward. When he got to her room, the door from the hallway was wide open, which immediately made him suspicious. He slowly walked through the doorway and quietly entered the room, preparing himself for the possibility of an intruder. Soon, however, he heard Hakoda's and Sokka's voice drift in from further in the room, so he relaxed. When he came into the sitting room, he saw Hakoda, Sokka, and Suki standing in the middle room, with Hakoda and Sokka engaged in some kind of argument. Katara was nowhere to be seen, which made Zuko frown.

"Zuko!" Suki looked a little surprised. "We were told you were in a council meeting."

"We just finished." He glanced at Hakoda and Sokka, who had refocused their attention on him. "Where is Katara?"

"We're not sure actually," Sokka sheepishly replied. "Katara came by my room a little while ago. She said she was feeling a lot better, so she wanted to do another healing session on my leg. I didn't know that _she_ didn't know about all of us leaving for the Earth Kingdom today, so when I told her about it, she kinda freaked. And then when I told her that we all expecting her to come with us, she got pretty angry and stormed out of the room."

He glared at the other boy. "You didn't follow her?"

"Are you kidding me?" Sokka's tone was incredulous. "As mad as she was, she probably would have frozen me to the side of the door if I had tried to follow her. You should know better than most how she gets when she's in one of her scary-angry moods."

"I need to talk to her, regardless."

"We already searched all the rooms in this part of the palace," Hakoda explained, "We were just debating whether or not to go out into the city to look for her."

Zuko shook his head. "The guards would have let me know if she had left the palace. She's still here…and I think I might know where she is." He caught Hakoda's gaze, and he saw what was unspoken in the other man's eyes. With a curt nod, he turned and headed back out to the hallway once more. As his steadily made his way through the twists and turns of the palace, Katara's face kept flashing in his mind's eye…but it was Ozai's words about the Sons that clung to his every thought. _They won't stop until they've finished their task. You can ask all the questions you want, and search day and night for them, but it won't change the inevitable…_

* * *

The midday sun's light glinted and sparkled off of the several large streams of water Katara had spun around herself from the nearby courtyard fountain. As she moved her arms, making the streams spin around faster and tighter, a part of her noted the enjoyment she felt at guiding the water droplets, to give them a shape and a purpose. If felt good to control its movements, perhaps because it countered the frustration and lingering anger she harbored since the conversation with her brother.

Her gaze narrowed at the memory, and suddenly she changed her movements, transitioning seamlessly into a new form. The swirling water instantly shifted around her and raced forward as she thrust her arms outward. Even as the mass of water surged forward it was solidifying, so by the time it was halfway to its intended target it already transformed into a shower of ice shards. In a matter of seconds, the life-size dummy that stood at the end of the training grounds turned into an enormous pincushion, covered from head to toe in ice shards several inches long.

Katara let out a hard, forced breath. She wasn't sure what had brought her out to this particular part of the palace, but once she had seen the training area she had decided to get some practice in. Blowing off some steam had seemed a good idea at the time, though it hadn't done much to lighten her mood.

She had just decided to go back inside and turned to go, when she saw him. Zuko was standing a few feet away, still dressed in his formal robes. His golden eyes had been taking in her whole appearance, and when they refocused on her face, there seemed to be a hint of remorse in them. She could guess what he was thinking right then, but he was going to find out just how stubborn she could be when she set her mind to something. Katara quickly closed the distance between them, stopping an arm's-length away. "How did you know where I was?"

"Just a guess." He took a deep breath. "Katara, we need to talk."

"Yes, we do." A trickle of anger seeped into her voice. "I already told you that I was staying, Zuko. So why did you and Dad suddenly decide, on your own, that I need to leave?"

"Did Sokka tell you that we got a letter from Iroh and the Order of the White Lotus?"

"Yes, he told me about needing to find the Earth King and bring him back to Ba Sing Se, but what does that have to do with me?"

"It means things have changed, Katara." His tone was patient, but insistent. "It's very important that Kuei is found quickly, and that Aang is there in Ba Sing Se to ensure a peaceful transition to Kuei's rule. But he's going to need help to do both."

"Sokka, Suki, and Toph can go with Aang. They'll be able to handle it by themselves."

"Toph will remain here in the city, which only leaves _you_ , Sokka, and Suki."

Katara was surprised, and more than a little hurt, at hearing that he wanted someone else to stay behind with him. "But why Toph?"

"Because she can use her skills here to help track down anyone connected to the Sons of Sozin." His eyes narrowed. " _And_ , most importantly, she's not being specifically targeted by assassins. You are."

"So are you," Katara immediately protested, "so why aren't you leaving?"

"I don't have a choice in the matter. I can't leave my country now after I just took over. _You_ , however, have a choice."

"Any decision that pulls us apart isn't a choice in my eyes," she quietly answered as she stepped closer to him. "I know that you're worried about me, Zuko, and you're afraid that something might happen to me, but sending me away isn't the answer. We're a team, remember? I'm not going to let you fight this alone."

He shook his head. She saw the resolve in his eyes become mingled with fear. "This isn't your fight, Katara, and I'm not going to let you get hurt again, or worse, because of it."

"Zuko, I'm not going to run off to find some goofy ruler and his pet bear while a whole group of assassins is plotting to kill you. If the Sons of Sozin attack again-"

"Not _if_ , but _when_. Your staying here will only provide them with another target for them to focus on, and…I can't allow that."

Detecting the slight tremble in his voice, Katara immediately reached her hand up to caress his face. Right before she could complete the action, his hand suddenly came up and grabbed her wrist, holding it firmly in place. The movement baffled her. "Zuko-?"

He let got of her wrist. "We both have responsibilities now that we can't afford to ignore." When Katara opened her mouth to protest, he cut her off. "-And I'm not just talking about finding the Earth King. Aang is the Avatar, and while he is wiser than us in many ways, the fact is he's still just a kid. He needs a strong hand to guide him, someone to help give advice, and to make sure that he stays on track." For a moment, she almost thought she saw a flash of jealousy cross his face, along with the sadness. "You can do that for him."

Katara felt like something was constricting her throat, and it took a moment to find her voice. "But that's not what I want."

"It doesn't matter. It's what needs to be done."

"How can you say that?" She took a ragged breath. "I know that, deep down, you want me to stay just as badly as I do."

Zuko's expression was grim as he looked away, and he waited a few moments before he spoke again. "I spent my whole life looking forward to the day when I would become the Fire Lord. I used to think that being a ruler was about having power and respect. I'm beginning to realize though, that it was only a very small part of the picture. Being a leader also means having a responsibility, or an obligation, to those that have placed their trust solely on you. I have to start looking beyond myself, and thinking about what's best for my country and its future." When he met her gaze again, his voice was firm. "That means that every decision, and every action, that I make from now on has to be as the Fire Lord, and not just as Zuko."

"What exactly do you mean?"

Katara had grown used to seeing the warmth and slight vulnerability in his eyes. Now, however, when she stared into the depths of his golden eyes, all she saw was cold, hard determination. "I can't let you stay here, and needlessly risk your life, when others need your help, Katara. That is why, as the Fire Lord, I am ordering you to leave the city today, and I _will_ see it done…with, or without, your cooperation."

"You can't make me leave." She tried to make it seem like a demand, but even to her own ears, it sounded more like a desperate plea.

He spoke his next words slowly and precisely as his cold eyes watched her face. "I can, and I will…even if I have to slip something in your drink to do it."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You wouldn't dare."

"Yes, I would. One way or another, you _will_ leave today with the others, and go with them to the Earth Kingdom. I will make sure of it."

A cold, nauseous sensation had started to form in the pit of her stomach, and now it was slowly starting to spread throughout the rest of her body. "Just last night, you told me that I could stay here with you…that we would be together."

"And we also agreed to take it one day at a time. You knew from the start, just like I did, that this might not work out. The situation has changed, and now we have to go our separate ways."

With a growing sense of horror, Katara realized that Zuko meant every single word of it. Moisture began to gather at the edges of her eyes. She could hardly get her next words out. "So that's it then?"

Zuko briefly closed his eyes. "It is." He took another deep breath, and when he opened them again, his gaze was hard and unwavering. "I need your guarantee that you'll leave with the others today."

It took Katara a moment to process his words. Her vision was becoming blurry, and her mind felt as if it was in a daze. Her entire being felt cold and numb, down to her very core.

"Katara…"

His golden eyes seemed to burn into hers, forcing her to answer him. When she finally found the words, she felt as if someone else was speaking for her. "I will."

Something flickered across his face in response, twisting his features, but it quickly disappeared. His voice was soft, but carefully controlled. "Good. You'll need to start packing right away. Aang and the others should be ready to leave soon."

She nodded mechanically. His lips parted, as if to speak, but then they pressed together again, and without another word, he abruptly turned away. Katara felt as if it was someone standing there, staring at him walking away, even after he was long gone. She felt numb, empty, lost.

Somehow, Katara made herself start walking, and it wasn't until she was in the guest quarters of the palace that she realized that she was heading to her room. It took her a few tries to open her door, due to the trembling in her hands, but once she was inside, a part of her felt relieved. It was only her and her own thoughts now as she made her way to her bedroom. Sitting down on her bed, the numbness finally faded away, and the pain came crashing in, pulling her under.

It would be a while before she surfaced again.

* * *

Suki walked into Sokka's bedroom, to find him, Aang, and his father all bent around a large map that was sprawled across a large table. Sokka looked deep in thought, and so didn't notice right away when Suki entered the room. Aang, however, saw her coming towards them and offered her a small smile.

"Hey, Suki."

She returned the smile, happy to find him in better spirits. "Hey, Aang." Walking around the table, she strode up to Sokka. By now he had refocused his attention on her, and leaned forward to give her a quick kiss.

"Is everything ready?" He asked her, to which she nodded. "All the supplies are packed now and ready to go. Did you find where we need to go?"

"Yeah, we did." Sokka pointed to the map, at a spot that was a good distance south of Ba Sing Se. "Iroh's letter said that the last time anyone saw or heard anything about Kuei was around a village called Wuhan, in the south-central part of the Earth Kingdom. I think it's best if we start there, to see if we can ask around and pick up any new leads."

"I think so too." Suki glanced at their destination on their map, and then looked backed at the current location. "That's quite a bit away from here."

"It is." Aang chimed in. "Even riding on Appa, it's going to take a little over a week to reach it."

Hakoda looked up from the map and met Suki's gaze. "That's why it's important that you leave immediately. We don't know how long it will take to find the Earth King." He then directed a regretful look at his son. "Though I don't enjoy having to split up again so soon…"

"We know, Dad." Sokka put a hand on his father's shoulder, and a look of understanding passed between the two of them. "But I know we'll see each other again, soon."

"Yes, we will." Hakoda briefly clasped his son's hand before letting it go. He cleared his throat, and looked at Suki. "Are you sure that you have everything for the trip?"

"We should." She paused. "I may have overlooked it, but I don't remember seeing Katara's stuff on Appa yet."

"Have any of you talked to her lately?" Hakoda asked. He appeared worried about something, which only furthered Suki's suspicions.

"Not since this morning," Sokka answered, and Hakoda's frown deepened.

"Someone needs to go check on her."

"I'll do it." Suki instantly volunteered, which produced slight looks of relief on the guys' faces. After giving Sokka a quick peck on the cheek, Suki left his rooms and walked down the hallway. When she reached Katara's guest room, she raised her arm and knocked loudly on the door. She waited, but didn't hear an answer right away, so after a moment, she knocked again. Still nothing. Now Suki quietly stepped closer to the door and put her ear against it. She didn't hear any noise right away, and she was just about to give up, when she heard some rustling from the other room. Soon enough, it was followed by footsteps coming towards the door, so she hastily straightened up.

The door opened to reveal Katara, who was once again wearing one of her water tribe outfits, and her blue necklace. Though her friend kept her expression blank when she greeted her, Suki could tell by the redness around her eyes that Katara had been recently upset.

"Hey Suki. What's going on?"

"Appa's all loaded up and ready to go. We were wondering if you were ready to go."

Katara gave a slight wince at her words, but she took a deep breath and then nodded. "I am. I just need to grab my things."

"Alright."

The other girl quickly turned and headed back into the room, leaving Suki out in the corridor by herself. But it didn't take long before Katara was back, with her bag slung across her back. As Katara walked out into the hallway, Suki noticed that she was holding something tightly in her one hand. It had to be something very small, because the only thing Suki could see was a small section of cord, like for a necklace. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Katara looked genuinely confused, until Suki pointed at her hand. A slightly panicked look appeared on her face, and she quickly looked away. "Oh, it's nothing." As soon as Katara said that, however, she looked back down at her clenched fist with an unreadable expression. As she stood there, staring down at whatever lay clutched in her hand, it almost seemed to Suki that Katara was torn, and unsure. Her friend's actions were starting to worry Suki a little.

"Katara, is everything okay?"

Her words seemed to startle the other girl, as if she had forgotten that Suki was even there. "Oh! I..." Katara hesitated. "I just…" She glanced back down at her hand, and then suddenly her mind seemed made up. When she met Suki's gaze, her hesitation was gone. "I have to do something first…before we go." When Suki opened her mouth to ask her about it, Katara interrupted her. "I'll be right back, I promise." Without waiting for an answer, she strode past Suki, and headed down the hallway.

"Okay..." Suki answered, mostly to herself. Now her curiosity was definitely piqued, but unfortunately, there wasn't anything to do about it at the moment. She stopped by Sokka's room again, and after informing the guys that Katara would be coming shortly, they made their way out to the courtyard, where Appa was waiting for them to leave. Some of their other friends were already there to tell them goodbye, for most of them would be leaving in the next couple of days with Hakoda's group. Toph was there as well, and Suki found it especially hard to say goodbye to her. She was definitely going to miss the diminutive earthbender.

Toph crossed her arms. "Alright, so I'm just going to say it. I don't really do goodbyes, especially with all the mushy stuff." The corner of her mouth curled up into a hint of a smile. "But I _am_ going to miss you guys. So, just try to keep yourselves in one piece while you're off by yourselves, okay? Especially you, Snoozles."

Sokka quickly spoke up. "What exactly do you mean by that?—Ow!" Sokka yelped as Toph slugged him in the arm. "Aghh! What the hell was that for!"

Toph grinned. "And you _still_ whine like a little girl." She then looked to Suki. "You're going to have to toughen him up or something…geez." Suki had to struggle to suppress a grin at Sokka's expense.

While Sokka was still grumbling and rubbing his arm, Suki looked over to see Zuko stiffly walking towards them. Suki could immediately tell that something was bothering him. There was a deep frown on his face, making his expression even more grim than usual.

When Zuko came up to the three of them, he went straight to business. "Did you guys get enough supplies for the trip? Wuhan is quite a long journey from here."

"Yeah, we should be just fine," Suki answered.

"Good," he answered, almost mechanically. He glanced at Sokka. "You should have found a large map in your rooms. You're more than welcome to keep it for your journey."

Sokka smirked. "Way ahead of you there, pal. It's already packed in my bags."

Toph snorted. "Yeah, there was no way Snoozles was going to leave here unless he had a thorough map of the entire countryside."

"Or enough food to feed an entire army," Suki teased her boyfriend, which made everyone smile. Everyone but Zuko that is, though his expression did lighten somewhat.

Sokka shrugged. "It's not like Zuko is hurting for food over here, so I thought I'd take a little for the road. You know, like our own little parting gift."

"Whatever helps," Zuko nonchalantly replied. "If you need anything else while you're at Wuhan or Ba Sing Se, just write me, and I'll send what assistance I can."

Suki spoke up. "We will, Zuko." Zuko nodded at her response, but then his gaze abruptly shifted to something behind her. He suddenly sucked in a sharp breath and became very still. Suki turned around to see what had caught his attention, and noticed that Katara had just entered the courtyard. Katara scanned the crowd around them, but stopped when she saw their group, her eyes widening as she noticed Zuko among them.

A flash of pain crossed Katara's features, and both she and Zuko seemed to forget everyone and everything around them as they continued to hold each other's gazes. Slowly, a new emotion appeared in Katara's expression, something that Suki could only describe as perhaps hope, or yearning. When Suki snuck a glance at Zuko, she thought, just for a moment, that she had seen the same desire burning in his golden eyes before they suddenly hardened. His lips became pressed into a firm line as he turned away, breaking their contact. Katara bit her lip and blinked several times before her hands curled into tight fists, and the hurt apparent in her features became replaced with anger. Suki felt both helpless, and confused, as she watched her friend head straight for Appa. She, however, hadn't been the only one who noticed what had just transpired.

Toph took a step in front of him. "Zuko, you can't-"

"Don't, Toph." Zuko refused to let her finish her sentence. "You've already said what's on your mind, and I've given you my answer. It's not going to change."

"If you stopped being so idiotic and stubborn-headed for just a moment-"

"No." His eyes narrowed in anger. "My decision is final. If you don't like it, no one's forcing you to stay."

They continued to stare at each other, until Toph finally gave in with a huff. "I already told you, Sparky. You're not getting rid of me that easy, even if you are being the world's biggest jerk right now." She uncrossed her arms. "I'm going to find Aang."

Sokka directed a bewildered look towards Zuko. "Um…did I just miss something?"

"It's nothing," Zuko quickly replied, and though his expression revealed nothing, Suki could still hear the slightest hint of a tremble in his voice. He was spared any further explanation, however, as Ty-Lee and the other Kyoshi warriors finally arrived to say their farewells.

After several more goodbyes, including a very long and heartfelt one to Hakoda, they were ready to go. Once Suki, Sokka, Katara, Aang-and Momo, of course-were all on Appa, they lifted off. Suki turned around to get one last view of the magnificent palace, and she saw Sokka and Aang do the same. Katara never even gave it a second glance.

Suki started to say something to her friend, in an effort to find out what was going on, but something stopped her. There was a certain quality to her eyes…at how they stared out into the open air without really seeing, that told Suki it was too soon. Sighing, she settled down next to Sokka. A somber mood had settled on their small group, and the quiet continued long after the palace was out of sight.

* * *

Zuko forced himself to walk at a measured pace as he headed towards his own rooms, but knew his self control was starting to slip. He could tell it by the way the palace staff took one look at his face and quickly backed away from him, or even stumbled in their haste to distance themselves. At this point, however, he couldn't bring himself to care.

He tried to focus his mind on the Sons of Sozin, and what he was going to do about them. They were a safer topic. It was much easier to deal with the anger inside of him, instead of the pain. His hands tightened into fists. The Weeping Merchant Inn would only be the first step. _I will find and hunt down every last one of the Sons of Sozin, even if I have to spend my every waking hour doing it..._

When he entered his room, a small part of him felt relief at finally being truly alone. In here, he didn't have to control his emotions, or hide behind a mask. He removed the crown from his topknot, but instead of placing it on his dresser right away, he just stood there and stared at it. It was strange, how light it actually was, when compared to the heavy responsibility it symbolized. Snatches of his conversation with Katara started to worm their way into his mind again, and with a sharp intake of breath, he quickly put the crown down. He frantically tried to fight off the sea of dark thoughts, and try to remember his one ray of hope. _The Sons can't harm her anymore. She's far away, and she'll be safe. That's what's important…and it's the only thing that matters._

Zuko suddenly felt very hot and lightheaded, so he immediately went to his bedroom and took off his formal robes. Once he was just in his tunic, he took a few deep breaths, and tried to steady himself. When he opened his eyes, something on his bed caught his gaze. As he walked over to it, he realized what it was: it was the same bronze sun pendant that Katara had worn at the dance, the one that had been given to her by Hina.

At the sight of it, all the hurt and pain Zuko had been desperately trying to keep in check broke free, and he sunk to his knees. _Katara, will you ever forgive me? Will I ever forgive myself?_

He slowly reached out and picked up the necklace, holding it as if it was the most precious thing in the world to him. Zuko swallowed back the moan that tried to escape his throat. _This was hers…she left it for me…_

The image of her beautiful face, marred by the hurt and pain that he had placed there, kept appearing before him, and it made no difference if his eyes were closed or not. The muscles in his arms began to tremble, but as much as he tried, he couldn't get the shaking to stop. He was lost now, in the tempest raging deep within him…and centered around a pair of blue, haunted eyes.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Oh, what to say...this chapter is a scary one to post. It's crazy because I love this chapter so much and have re-read it a zillion times, yet I know that some of my readers will not be very happy with me for it. When I wrote this part about six years or so ago, this was my first fanfic and by the time I got to this point in the story, I wanted to shake things up and try my hand at some angst. That being said, I didn't put angst in here just for the sake of angst-the decisions and choices that Zuko and Katara make here and in the next few chapters will have some direct effects on key events in later chapters. I've always been one to plan out the plots of my stories way in advance, so even when I wrote this chapter I could see how it was going to change other people and events later down the road. There will be a lot of plot development in the upcoming chapters, and important growth for both Zuko and Katara.

I will humbly ask for my readers to have a little patience... I have about 23 chapters written at this point and should still be able to post very regular, so I hope you will keep hanging in there. The fact that I have so many people still reading this Zutara story is pretty awesome. I appreciate everyone for taking the time to read my story, and a special thanks to those who have posted reviews-it really is great motivation, not just for finishing this story but already to other stories that I dream of writing :-) Thanks!


	15. In the Darkest Times

"The others are in position now, Your Highness."

Masato quietly joined Zuko and Toph as they stood hiding in the shadows of a nearby building. The Weeping Merchant Inn, where some of the Sons of Sozin were supposedly at, was only a few buildings down. Zuko had brought along several guards to assist in apprehending the Sons that night, but he wanted to make sure their targets were in the building before they moved. While Zuko, Toph, Masato, and Liem entered the building, the other guards would remain outside, creating a perimeter to catch anyone who tried to escape. That was the plan, anyways.

"Good. Did you happen to see Liem on your way back?"

"No, but that doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't still out there. That little scoundrel can make himself pretty damn near invisible when he wants to."

"Why, thanks Masato." Liem quickly stepped out from behind the large man. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Dammit boy…" Though Masato made sure to keep his voice down, it was still laced with frustration. "How long were you following me?" He then shook his head. "You know what, I don't even want to know. I swear, one of these days, you're going to be the death of me."

Liem smirked. "So you've told me, several times."

Zuko was intently focused on their mission, and nothing else. "Liem, are they at the inn or not?"

The young boy became all business. "They are. Our pal Goro and three of his goonies are sitting and having a beer as we speak. There are only a few other customers in there right now. If we're gonna do this thing, now's the time."

"I'm game," Toph eagerly answered beside him. Zuko didn't have to glance at her face to know she was smiling when she had said it.

"I still don't like this," Masato muttered, "We're going to be in a tight space, and on _their_ turf. Who knows what could happen in there."

Liem scoffed. "Is there anything you _do_ like, Masato? Since I've known you I don't think I've seen you smile once. I don't think you know how to."

"Perhaps it's because I have to deal with your scrawny arse all the time."

Toph chuckled a little. "I think the big guy has a point there."

"Enough." Zuko's patience was starting to wear thin. "We might not ever get another chance like this to capture some of the Sons. We have to take it."

All three of his companions immediately became solemn and nodded in response. Toph straightened up and pounded a fist into her other hand. "I say it's time give these losers a taste of their own medicine. I'm ready when you are, Sparky."

"Let's go." Zuko led the way as the four of them silently made their way to their destination in the darkened city. When they got to the front door of the inn, Zuko waited for Masato to get ahead of him. As Captain of the Royal Guard, Masato had insisted that it was his duty to go first before Zuko. Once he made sure they were ready to go, Zuko nodded at Masato, and the large man opened the door. Toph immediately filed in after him, followed by Zuko, then Liem. When the four of them entered the main room of the inn, Zuko noticed that the large room was empty, except for the four men sitting at a center table. Goro was easily recognizable, and the tattoos on the other three men marked them as his companions.

"I thought you said there were others here," Zuko whispered back to Liem.

"I did…" Liem sounded surprised. "They were here just a minute ago-"

"Ah…Prince Zuko!" Goro stood up and looked straight at him. "Or should I say, 'Fire Lord Zuko'… " A greedy grin stole over his face. "We meet again."

Zuko glared at him. "You knew we were coming."

"Of course we did." Goro cast a demeaning glance at Liem. "Did you really think that little sewer rat of yours would be able to spy on us without our knowledge?" He sneered. "We _wanted_ you to come here. It saves us the trouble of having to hunt you down. And now we're going to finish the job."

"That's what you think," Toph retorted. She began to thrust her arms out, but before she could complete the action, Goro flicked his hand towards a group of barrels right next their group. He must have used his firebending with something reactive in the barrels, because suddenly a loud boom resounded throughout the room. The next instant, Zuko and his friends were thrown off their feet, and his world spun sickeningly until he finally came down on the floor hard, knocking the breath out of him.

The ringing in Zuko's ears was unbearable. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight the nausea and the urge to vomit. Once the ringing died down, he heard someone yell close to him, and he forced himself to open his eyes. The first thing he saw, as he was lying on his side, was a pair of boots walk steadily towards him. When he looked up to see who they belonged to, he was greeted by Goro's malicious smile. Suddenly, Goro's boot came down on his side and pushed him, roughly flipping Zuko onto his back. He grunted as a fresh wave of pain rolled throughout his entire body. Before he knew it, a huge weight came pressing down right on top of his chest, squeezing the breath out of him. He frantically grabbed Goro's boot and tried the push the man off, but in his weak and dizzy state, he only managed to lift it up slightly. It was enough, however, to let the air come rushing back through his lungs. As Zuko struggled against the man above him, the other's eyes filled with a twisted sense of enjoyment.

"Time for you to die, _Your Highness_."

Helplessly pinned down, Zuko knew he only had a few precious moments left before Goro delivered the killing blow. The assassin was already beginning to move his arms to summon his firebending. Zuko took a deep breath, focusing all his energy on this one, last move. Using the breath of fire that his uncle had taught him long ago, Zuko directed his firebending through his mouth, and aimed it straight at his attacker's face. Though his stream was much smaller and weaker than he had hoped, it still had the desired effort. Goro realized, at the last possible second, what Zuko had done and tried to shift into a defensive stance, but it was too late. The fire stream hit him on the left side of his face, and with a high-pitched yell, Goro stumbled backwards.

Zuko immediately pushed himself up, but he was forced to close his eyes as his vision swam dizzily for a moment. Once the nausea passed, he opened his eyes and looked again for Goro, but the blue-armored assassin was nowhere to be seen. As he cautiously got back on his feet, he looked around the chaotic room and realized that all four of the Sons of Sozin members were gone. He saw Toph and Liem helping each other to stand up on the other side of the room, but there was no sign of Masato. A swell of fear and dread came over Zuko as he began to walk around, desperately searching around the upturned tables and chairs for his companion. When he finally spotted the large man lying by one of the dining tables, Zuko rushed over and knelt beside him. Zuko noticed, with an increasing sense of alarm and urgency, that there were cuts all over Masato's face, and a large wooden splinter sticking out from his arm. When he saw Masato's chest rise and fall, Zuko let out a small sigh of relief. He at least knew that his friend was alive.

Zuko bent over the large man. "Masato." Masato, however, didn't move. _I have to get him up and out of here._ He tried again, this time much louder. "Masato, wake up!"

The other man finally began to stir, and he slowly opened his eyes. Masato immediately looked down at his arm and groaned. "No wonder it hurts." He moved his other arm towards it, but Zuko stopped him.

"Wait. Let the healer at the palace look at it. You might make it worse."

Masato winced. "What happened?"

"There was an explosion. You were the one closest to the blast."

"And the Sons?"

Zuko looked away shamefully. "They're gone." He swallowed the painful lump in his throat. "We need to get out of here. Can you make it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, just give me a moment."

Slowly, the other man sat up, and with Zuko's help, they managed to get him on his feet. By then, Toph and Liem had come up to them, with Toph supporting the small boy. The two of them were also covered in small cuts all over, but Liem was also limping.

"Are you okay?"

"It's not that serious." There was no trace of sarcasm in Liem's answer, only weariness. "I'll be better once we're out of this dragon-hawk's nest."

"I second that," Toph quickly replied, and Zuko gave a curt nod. "Let's head out."

With Toph helping Liem, they filed through the inn's front door, and stepped out onto the city's streets. They were greeted by a strange, white haze that surrounded the entire front of the building. Zuko took a whiff of it, and realized it was smoke.

Toph wrinkled her nose. "Where did this come from?"

"The assassins probably dropped a smoke bomb on their way out, to cover their exit," Liem explained, "It's a favorite trick among assassins and thieves."

They heard some coughing come from ahead of them, and when they found the source, they saw several of the guards lying on the ground, or bending over others. Zuko managed to find the lead guard, who looked shaken, but unhurt.

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure, Fire Lord Zuko." The man sounded apologetic. "We started to approach the the building once we heard the explosion inside, but another explosion went off along the side of our group. A little later, I heard a small popping noise and then this smoke just seemed to come out of nowhere."

Zuko felt a stab of guilt as he looked around at the guards. "How is everyone?"

"I had just finished checking on the others. Looks like we were pretty lucky…just a lot of cuts and bruises."

His answer did come as somewhat of a relief, though Zuko still ashamed that it had happened in the first place. _I should have expected they might be waiting for us. I was too rash and overconfident...all these people got hurt because of_ my _mistake._

Toph and Liem came up next to Zuko, and the Liem uttered an inaudible curse. "I can't believe how stupid I was. I lead us straight into a trap." For once, the cockiness that was usually present in the younger boy was completely gone. Now, his face was pale, and the vulnerability in his expression was plain to see, along with the remorse. "I should have been more careful. It's all my fault."

"No." Zuko corrected him. "If anything, it's mine."

"Actually, you're both wrong because it was _nobody's_ fault," Toph bluntly replied. "Something unexpected happened, and we did the best we could. End of story. We should just focus now on getting back to the palace."

No one voiced any arguments, so their group started their journey to the imperial palace. The blame still weighed heavily on Zuko, though. It was hard for him not to think about the failed mission, and about what had _almost_ happened. The scenes from the inn kept replaying in his mind, and he shuttered at how close he and his friends had come to dying. _What if someone had actually died today-could I keep up this search, and risk more lives in the process? I've never faced anything like the Sons of Sozin before. What if I'm in too far over my head?_ It was beginning to feel like a hopeless situation.

As their group approached the palace, Zuko's thoughts shifted to his uncle. There had been several times while traveling with Iroh that he had felt helpless as well. Something that Iroh had told him earlier in his banishment suddenly came to mind. _You must never give into despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength_.

At hearing his uncle's words in his mind again, Zuko realized that his uncle was right. He would continue to hunt the Sons of Sozin, no matter how impossible the task appeared to be. He had never been one to give up easily, and he wasn't going to start now.

* * *

Zuko laid the piece of parchment on the desk, and closed his eyes as he leaned back into his chair. He had spent the entire first half of his day cooped up in his office, signing what seemed like hundreds of documents Kenshin had put on his desk to review and sign. He always knew that there would be some paperwork to go along with being a ruler, but he had no idea it would be _this_ much. So many things required his attention, from trade disputes to military procedures and practically everything in between. While it seemed overwhelming at times, part of him was relieved at being kept so busy. Being busy meant he had less time to think. Too often, he found his mind start to wander down those painful paths, especially when something reminded him of her… Thankfully, there was a knock on the door, bringing his attention back to the present. "Come in."

The door opened and Kenshin stepped inside, immediately giving Zuko a bow. "Fire Lord Zuko."

"Kenshin." Zuko waved his hand towards the large stacks of papers off the side of his desk. It was, unfortunately, the smallest of all the stacks present. "I've finished with some of the documents you gave me."

His secretary appeared to have forgotten about them. "Oh, yes…thank you, Your Highness." As Kenshin walked over to the desk, Zuko noticed he was clutching a large book to his chest. "I actually came because I wanted to show you something that I found in Daichi's journal."

Zuko straightened up in his chair. "You found some information about the Sons of Sozin?"

"Not so much about the Sons, but someone they've had dealings with. Here, let me show you." Kenshin placed the book on the table, and flipped through the pages until he had found what he wanted. "From the previous pages, I've been able to surmise that when Daichi talks about the 'special client', he means the Sons of Sozin. He mentions them here again." Kenshin pointed to a point halfway down the page, so Zuko began reading:

… _contacted our special client to take care of Tarou from the Yuuto family. When we met, however, they informed me that someone else had already paid them to deal with Tarou. Unfortunately, they would not tell me the name of who ordered the contract, since this would be a violation of their client's trust. I reminded them it would not wise to anger Fire Lord Ozai, but they would only tell me it was a High General, and nothing else. I will have to tell Ozai what has occurred. If this becomes a continued issue, we will have to take drastic measures…._

"A High General…" Zuko thought out loud. "The only generals with that title are the ones that are on the council."

"That's correct, Your Highness."

An uneasy feeling came over Zuko. "Kenshin, do you know when Daichi wrote this entry?"

Kenshin combed over the top of the page, and looked back up at Zuko. "It was about two years ago."

"Did any of the High Generals retire or were any removed from the council since then?"

Understanding dawned on Kenshin's features as he realized where this was leading. "No, Your Highness," he answered quietly, "The same ones that were on Ozai's council are now on yours, with the exception of Bujing."

Zuko felt a chill run down his spine, and it wasn't from the cold. "One of my council members has used the Sons before to carry out assassinations. They could have contacted them again, to take care of me."

"It's definitely possible…" Kenshin fidgeted nervously, "but we don't know that for sure. And then there's Bujing to consider as well."

He shook his head. "It couldn't have been Bujing. He left the city while Azula still in charge… way before the Sons of Sozin carried out their first attempt." _Who could it be? All of the generals have shown some degree of resentment or dislike of me, except for maybe Ichiro. Then there's Shinu…he has voiced the loudest opposition to me so far, and he certainly dislikes me… maybe even hates me. And he definitely would have the money to pay the Sons. Could he be behind the attacks?_

"I see your point, Fire Lord Zuko, but I still think it's too premature to say for sure that it's one of them. It could just be a coincidence."

"Perhaps, but it's the most solid lead we have right now." He directed a firm look at his secretary. "I want you and your staff to dig up all the information you can about the council members, and bring me your report when you're done. In the meantime, I'll talk to Masato, and see if he or his men can help with the investigation."

"Yes, Your Highness." Kenshin seemed to just remember something else. "Oh, I also wanted to inform you that the ships carrying the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe members will be leaving out shortly. That also includes Master Hakoda's ship."

"Thank you, Kenshin. I'll go see them before they leave."

"I'll be off then," Kenshin bowed, and quickly exited the room.

Zuko stood up and walked towards the large window behind his desk. The thought that one of his own council members could be responsible for the attacks deeply disturbed him. Though Kenshin warned it might just be a coincidence, Zuko had a feeling that he was on the right track. He was going to need further proof, however.

"Fire Lord Zuko?" He looked over at the door and saw that one of his guards was in the entryway. "There is a Lady Mai here to see you. Should we let her in?"

The news shocked him. _Mai? I wonder why she wants to see me._ He nodded. "Go ahead."

The man opened the door wide open, and soon Mai's slender form came into the room. "Hi, Zuko." As usual, a calm, nonchalant expression dominated her features. She stopped a few feet away from him. "I see that you have bodyguards now."

"A necessary precaution, with everything that's been going on."

"So I've heard." Her eyes softened a bit. "I'm glad that you're okay. There were rumors that you had been killed."

Unfortunately, this didn't surprise Zuko. The city was always full of rumors, most of them false. "You can't always believe what you hear. But I don't think you came here just to talk about rumors." He kept his voice stern. "What do you want, Mai?"

"You always were direct, and to the point." The corner of her mouth twisted up ever so slightly. "I guess some things never change…" In the next breath, her lips were once again pressed into a thin line. "I also came because I wanted to tell you goodbye. I'm leaving today."

"You're leaving?" He was surprised at her news. "Where are you going?"

"I'm heading out with the others to the Earth Kingdom."

"To stay with your parents?"

She scowled. "No. My parents and I don't exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things. I have some contacts of my own in the Earth Kingdom. I think I can get some work there, more suited to my own skills."

He felt a little awkward. "Well…I wish you luck."

"It seems like you're going to need some too, trying to get things in order around here," Mai answered wryly. "Speaking of which…do you know who's behind the attacks?"

"Not yet, but we have a few leads now."

"That's good…" she looked off to the side, and her voice became quieter. "You know, I actually went to your coronation dance that night."

"You did? I never saw you."

"I didn't stay very long. I wasn't exactly in the mood for socializing."

Remembering the conversation they had that very morning, Zuko could understand why. He still felt a little pang of guilt and sadness at the memory. "Mai, I-"

"-It's the water tribe girl," Her gaze cut back to him, demanding an answer. "Isn't it?"

The abrupt shift in the conversation threw him off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw the two of you dancing that night, and I saw the way you looked at her." Though she was careful to control her features, there was no mistaking the hurt in her eyes. "She's the one, isn't she?"

 _Katara…_ Slivers of anguish started to slip through the cracks in his self-control, and he closed his eyes against the pain. "Why are you asking me this, Mai?"

She was silent for a moment before she spoke in a hoarse voice. "Judging by your reaction, I'll take that as a 'yes'." There was another pause, and some new emotion permeated her words. "I heard that she and the others already left for the Earth Kingdom a few days ago."

Zuko waited until he had regained control over himself before he spoke, but he didn't try to mask the glare he now aimed at her. "They did."

"I have to admit," Mai glanced away from him, "that I do feel some satisfaction…knowing that she can't be with you either."

Anger surged in him, and he practically growled at her. "Mai, if you just came here to gloat-"

"-I didn't." She quickly interrupted him. Once again, she was cool and unruffled. "I just wanted to congratulate you…and pass along one other thing you might be interested in before I left."

"And what would that be?" he asked cautiously.

"You know about the underground tunnels that run under the palace, right?" When he nodded, she continued. "Well, they actually extend far beyond the palace and all the way through the entire caldera."

"I've been in the tunnels under the palace and on the western edge of the island, but I've never been in the tunnels under the city itself." A hint of skepticism entered his voice. "I was under the impression that they were never used anymore."

"Not according to your sister. After the eclipse, Ty-Lee and I asked Azula about needing to secure the rest of the tunnels. She told us that we didn't need to worry. No one would be able to use the tunnels because 'they' wouldn't let anybody through. She wouldn't say who the 'they' was, but I still thought you should know." She turned to go, but she paused when Zuko called her name.

"Mai, wait." Zuko waited until she met his gaze. There was so much going through his mind, but instead he simply told her, "Thank you."

He could see what the words meant to her, even though she remained silent. Turning around, she strode to the door and left without looking back. Zuko stood there for a while, just thinking about everything she had told him. When his thoughts lead him back to Katara, he could feel the dark, invisible void in him growing larger again. He had to quickly shut down that line of thinking.

Zuko gave himself a shake, and began his journey out to the city's harbor, to see off the last of his guests.

* * *

 _He was standing out on one of the palace balconies, looking out into the darkness when footsteps behind him drew his attention. When he turned around, a smile spread over his face as he watched Katara come up to him. She was wearing the dress she had on for his coronation dance, and once again he was amazed at just how gorgeous she was. Without hesitation, she walked right up to him and slipped her arms around his neck, immediately pulling him into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him, to the point that he nearly lifted her off her feet. She was so soft…and there was a heat that was building between them that was absolutely delightful._

 _He wanted much, much more, but she suddenly pulled away from him. "I want to stay here…with you," she whispered softly. While he was overjoyed at her words, a part of him began to realize that something was off…that perhaps this was not real._

 _Katara smiled at him, and without waiting for him to answer, she turned around and headed back to the palace. He followed after her, but he quickly lost sight of her as she went deeper into the building. A sense of urgency came over him as he began to quickly walk through the corridors. He didn't know why, but he suddenly got the feeling that she was in trouble. Now running, he twisted and turned through the empty hallways until he came around a corner, and saw Katara._

 _She was kneeling on the floor, with her arms pressed against her side. An immense feeling of horror came over him as he noticed the blood staining her dress, covering her arms, and collecting into a pool on the floor. The scene seemed familiar to him, but something was different. As he rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms, it came to him: she hadn't healed herself yet._

 _Katara's eyes were closed, and they fluttered open for a brief moment, to stare into his eyes. "It's too late, Zuko," she told him quietly, and even as she said it he knew that she was dying. Fear and desperation took over his entire being. "No, this can't be happening." He gently cupped her face, willing her to open her eyes again. "Katara, listen to me…" She took one last breath, then stilled in his arms, and he knew without a doubt that she was gone. A horrified sense of disbelief consumed him. "No…No, this can't be right." He didn't want to believe it…he can't take it anymore…. His mind flinched away from this reality, and suddenly the entire world began to tremble…._

Zuko awoke with a start. He quickly sat up, and as bits and pieces of his dream came back to him, he shuttered. "Katara…" Though it had only been a dream, it had shaken him to core. _It wasn't real. Katara is safe now_. _It was just a dream._ The sentences became his mantra as he forced himself to take several long, deep breaths in attempt to calm himself.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up, heading to the balcony right outside his room. It was still dark outside, though the nearly full moon cast a pale light over the palace grounds. The pre-dawn air felt cool against his bare chest, but it was warm in comparison to the cold touch of the bronze necklace. His hand came up to lightly touch its smooth surface. Ever since the day Katara had left the sun pendant on his bed, he had never taken it off, even when he slept.

Zuko closed his eyes. _Five days and four nights…that's how long she's been gone now. The dreams may be different, but they always revolve around her._ As he remembered the first part of the dream, his heartbeat quickened. It had felt so real…her kisses, the way she had felt pressed up against him…it left his whole body flushed and aching with longing. The desire to hold her right then was so strong that it felt like a physical pain in his chest. No matter what he told the others, the truth was that he missed her, desperately.

His hand tightened around the pendant. The dreams came every night, along with the inevitable waves of anguish and guilt. He sucked in a sharp breath as a vision of her sun-kissed face, stained by her tears, flashed through his mind…and knowing that he had sent her away to protect her did nothing to lesson the pain. _I was the one who hurt her… who pushed her away…_ Hesqueezed his eyes shut tighter, and he felt a single tear run down his cheek. _Somehow, I always end up hurting those closest to me. Perhaps I'm not so different from my father or sister as I thought…_

Ever so slowly, Zuko tucked the painful thoughts and memories away, at least for the time being. He ran through some of his uncle's calming exercises until he was able to quiet his mind. When he opened his eyes again, it was still dark out, but the barest hint of grey was beginning to spread out from where the sun would soon appear. With one last look at the scene before him, Zuko turned to go back inside. He stopped, however, when some movement out on the palace grounds below him caught his eye. He stared at the spot for a moment, and had just decided that he was seeing things when he saw movement again, this time a little closer to the palace.

Immediately suspicious, Zuko slowly moved closer to the edge of the balcony, until he had a better view of the ground below. When his eyes narrowed on the two shadows approaching the palace, his suspicions were confirmed. _Assassins. The Sons of Sozin have finally made their next move._ Zuko knew that he didn't have much time –the assassins had just reached the area right below his balcony—so he quickly, but silently stepped through the doorway and pressed himself up against the wall next to the door. He would wait until both assassins entered the room before he moved.

His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, but he made to keep himself absolutely still as he waited for the figures to show. He didn't have long to wait. The two assassins took very slow, cautious steps as they entered the room, but thankfully, they didn't notice Zuko as they walked past him. At the sight of the assassins, a surge of red, hot anger flared in Zuko, but he hastily suppressed it. He needed to be calm and focused, and he had to move fast.

The two intruders still had their backs to him, and they were only a few feet away. He brought both his hands up to his chest, and then he swiftly swept them out as he began his firebending form. Taking a step forward, he finished the move as he thrust his arms in their direction, and immediately his fire stream raced towards his two targets. Just as Zuko's fire had sprung to life, the two assassins had turned towards him, and now hastily tried to move into a defensive stance. The figure on the left brought up his arms just in time to block and dissipate Zuko's attack, but his companion tried to copy the move too late. The fire stream hit the man in the chest, and with a muffled yell, he fell backwards.

The remaining assassin didn't spare a glance at his fallen comrade, but instead kept his gaze intently fixed on Zuko. The intense smell of burned cloth and flesh now filled the air, assaulting Zuko's senses and making his stomach churn with its putrid odor. The other man, however, didn't let it distract him. His arms made a quick thrusting motion, creating two thin waves of fire that flew towards Zuko. Zuko deftly blocked the attack, but before it had completely disappeared, the assassin was moving again. His opponent continued to hurl small flames and streams at Zuko, but each time he did, he steadily closed the distance between them. Zuko realized what the man was doing, and decided to try to catch him off guard. When the assassin directed another fire blast at Zuko's chest, Zuko began to move into a defensive stance, just like he had for all of the previous attacks. At the last moment, however, he abruptly ducked and twisted to the side. Using his forward momentum, he threw his leg out and caught the man from behind his legs, effectively sweeping him off his feet.

Zuko quickly got to his feet and stepped closer to the man, his arms out and ready to aim another attack at him if necessary. _I have to take them as captives. I need answers._ The assassin was still lying on his side, and when he met Zuko's eyes, Zuko saw no fear in them, only determination.

"Give yourself up," Zuko commanded him, "before someone else gets hurt."

The other man's lip curled up in a sneer. "Never."

One of his hands, which had been tucked underneath his body, shot out towards Zuko, but instead of shooting flames towards him, a handful of powder hit Zuko on the left side of his face. An intense, burning sensation engulfed the entire area, including his eyes, leaving him momentarily blinded. Only years of training with his uncle, teaching him how to use _all_ of his senses, not just his eyes, kept him from felt, more than saw, the intense heat against his bare skin, letting him know to block the incoming attack. Zuko tried again to open his eyes, and through his narrow slits he saw the assassin rush towards him. He managed to bring his arms out in front of him when the other man crashed into him, taking them both to the floor.

They rolled several times as they gripped each other's arms, trying to overpower the other. With it being mostly dark and nearly blinded by the mysterious powder, Zuko lost his sense of direction, and he didn't regain it until they stopped. Only the feel of the carpet against his bare back let Zuko know, belatedly, that he was lying on the floor, with the assassin right above him. He forced his eyes to open, and in his watery vision, he saw his opponent raise something high above his head. The barest glint of light off of the object in the man's hand immediately let Zuko know what what about to happen. Just as the man began to thrust the dagger down towards his heart, Zuko instinctively brought his arms up, crossing them at the wrists in an effort to block the motion. The assassin brought his full weight to bear down on Zuko's forearms, and as Zuko tried to move and deflect the dagger off to the side, he knew it was too little, too late. It came as a surprise to both then, when the blade abruptly came to a stop against something hard. They both looked down, wide-eyed, at Zuko's chest and saw the reason why: the point of the dagger had come to rest right in the middle of the sun pendant.

Zuko hastily reached for the dagger's hilt while his opponent was still caught off guard. The man still had a firm grip on it, and a snarl formed on his lips when he realized what Zuko was trying to do. The two of them strained and grunted as they each struggled to get control of the weapon. Gritting his teeth, Zuko desperately summoned the last reserves of his strength, and slowly—inch by painstaking inch – began to turn the blade back towards the assassin. At last, fear finally crept into the man's grey eyes as he realized that the tables had turned.

The assassin suddenly shifted his weight and rolled off to the left, perhaps in one last attempt to regain control of the weapon. Zuko knew, however, that letting go of the hilt would be a fatal mistake, so he duplicated the motion. There was a moment of chaos as the two rolled over the floor, still struggling with the dagger, but then the other man suddenly stilled. When Zuko finally regained his bearings and looked down at the man, he saw that the dagger he was still holding was now buried in the man's chest. Zuko watched, horrified, as the man stared up at him, the surprise still clearly written all over his face. Slowly, the man's eyes closed, and with one last gasp, his hands fell away from the hilt.

Zuko got up and slowly backed away from the scene in front of him. _I can't believe it. He's…he's dead._ A feeling of dread seized him. He didn't know why, but he couldn't look away from the man's face. _I killed him…_ _I-_

"-…Highness, are you okay?" The guard's words seemed to come from far away, but Zuko made himself focus on the man.

"Are you hurt?" The man repeated, and Zuko finally shook his head. At the moment, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"This one is alive." Both of them turned to look at the other guard, who was bent over the other assassin. Zuko had completely forgotten about the other man. "He's burned pretty bad, though. He's going to need some kind of healing, soon."

Zuko gave himself a mental shake. _I can't fall apart now. I have to focus._ He met the the guard's gaze. "Do it."

At Zuko's quiet words of command, the guard carefully pulled the injured assassin's arm around his shoulder and made their way out of the room. Zuko then felt a hand on his arm, and when he turned, the guard held out a robe to him while he gestured towards the door. "Fire Lord Zuko, I think it's best that you leave your rooms, until we get this sorted out." Before he had the chance to answer, he heard some more footsteps approach.

"Thank Agni you're in one piece."

He looked up at the source of the gruff voice, to see a relieved Masato step into the room. By the simple, ruffled tunic and pants he had on, he appeared to have been just recently roused from his own bed. "The guards just told me what happened." Once his captain had assessed Zuko's health and the state of the room, he looked back at the other guard. "I want you to stay here. Fire Lord Zuko and I will head to a different part of the palace. I'll send some of the staff up here as soon as possible."

The other guard saluted while Zuko wordlessly pulled on his robe and began to follow Masato. His companion made sure to wait until they were in Zuko's office before he spoke again. "One of the guards from the palace's outer walls came and gave their report to me. This time, the assassins came as a group from outside the wall and worked as a unit to breach our defenses. Once they got past the guards posted on the wall, they used the cover of darkness to cross the palace grounds right to your rooms."

"Was is just the two assassins?"

"There were four of them that originally attacked the post on the wall, but two of the assassins died in the scuffle with the guards."

Zuko dreaded the answer to his next question. "Were any of our men hurt?"

"There are three guards dead, and two more injured," he answered in a hushed voice, "But one of them might not make it through the day."

"Three men…" Zuko trailed off, still in shock. There had been several times during his banishment when someone under his command had gotten hurt during a battle or engagement. Afterwards, he couldn't help but feeling somewhat responsible and guilty for what happened, despite his uncle's efforts to reassure him otherwise. But this…this was different. _The Sons of Sozin killed them just so they could get to me. Their blood is on my hands._

"Hey," Masato's stern voice broke through Zuko's thoughts. "I recognize that look on your face, and I know what you're thinking. You think it's _your_ fault that those men died, but that's not true."

"But it is-"

"No, it isn't. That rests solely with the Sons of Sozin, and no one else." The other man's gaze softened, and his words became respectful. "Those men willingly signed up for the position, knowing the dangers that would be involved. Their job was to protect the palace and everyone inside that, and they did it, with honor."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Zuko nodded. "Let me know their names. Tomorrow, I will go to each one of their families and tell them what happened."

"Someone else can go see them. It doesn't have to be you."

"Yes. It does," Zuko firmly answered. _I owe them that much._

Masato came up beside Zuko and placed a hand on his shoulder. When Zuko met his gaze, there was genuine concern in the other man's eyes. "Every man has their breaking point, and Agni knows you've had more responsibility placed on your shoulders than most men carry in their entire lifetimes. If you ever need to talk to me, as just one man to another, let me know."

Zuko's stomach twisted at Masato's words. A pair of grey eyes flashed through Zuko's thoughts, and he looked off to the side. "Masato, have you ever-" He paused, unsure of whether or not to continue, "-killed a man?"

A heavy silence descended in the room. Zuko glanced back at the Masato and saw the other man staring off into the distance, with an unreadable expression on his hard face. When he finally spoke, it came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Yes, I have. It happened a long time ago." Clearing his throat, he began to explain. "I was only a few years older than you at the time. I had just gotten a position as a guard at the prison in the city. I was patrolling on the grounds by the front gate when a fight broke out amongst some of the prisoners. When I rushed over to the fight, I saw that one of the younger men—a boy, really, about my age—had somehow got ahold of a knife." Masato let out a deep, heavy sigh. "It was stupid…coming at an armored guard with a sword when he had nothing but a little spit of a knife, but he did it. When he lunged at me, I brought up my sword—just like I was trained—and tried to disarm him, but I miscalculated." He didn't say anything for several, long heartbeats. "I watched as he took his last breath there, lying on the ground in front of me. It's something that I never will forget… no matter how much I wish it otherwise."

Zuko looked down at his hands, and took a moment to gather his tumultuous thoughts. "I know that the man I killed was an assassin for the Sons of Sozin, and I also know that if I hadn't defended myself, he would have killed me." He gritted his teeth in anger. "There's a part of me that says that he deserved to die. He chose to be assassin, and he willingly came here with the intent to kill me, but-" Zuko unclenched his fists as his anger began to slip away from him. "I still feel this horrible guilt… and every time I see his face, I start to doubt myself." Bits and pieces of his conversations with Aang came back to him. "No matter what he did, he was still a person, with his own life to lead…and I took that from him."

The hand on his shoulder tightened. "I won't lie to you, Zuko." Zuko knew that Masato was speaking now as his friend, and not as his captain. "What you said was true—every bit of it. Knowing that you were justified in taking a life still doesn't take away the guilt and the burden that goes along with it. But you _can't_ let that burden weigh you down. You have to keep your mind on what's in front of you, and keep moving on."

Zuko remained silent as the words sunk in. _What happened can't be undone. I will have to learn to live with it._ "Thank you, Masato," he told him sincerely, and the other man nodded.

Masato's hand fell back to his side. "I'm going to go check on our survivor. Once he's healed and cohesive enough, I'm going to start getting some answers from him." His scowl deepened. "A lot of answers, to be exact."

"As soon as you know where some of their hideouts and bases are, let me know." Zuko made sure his nexts words came out as a command. "And I don't care if you have to wake me up in the middle of the night to tell me. I want to know, _immediately_."

Masato inclined his head, once again slipping into his role. "I will, Your Highness."

After Masato left, Zuko walked over to the window and stared out at the city before him... his city, his responsibility. He thought about his uncle's words again. _In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself..._ He touched the pendant around his neck. _I will keep hoping, uncle. I have to._

* * *

 **Author's Note** : By this point, Zuko is not only feeling the full weight and responsibility of his new position as Fire Lord, but he's also nearly overwhelmed with trying to deal with the Sons of Sozin (and, of course, his anguish at having sent Katara away), so this is a pretty dark time for him. However, one of the things I love about Zuko's character (and makes him one of my fav characters) is that no matter how the odds seemed stacked against him or how rough it gets for him, he never gives up. It's almost like he doesn't know how to give up...he has such a strong inner drive that he will always find a way to fight though it, which is something I greatly admire. Of course, it also helps that he has such a loving and wise mentor in Iroh that is there to support him. Even though Iroh is not physically there with him, there is such a connection between the two that just thinking of his uncle and his advice is a big help to him. Iroh has been absent from my story so far, but I promise he will appear, just a little later ;-)

As always, thanks for reading!


	16. Fractures

**Author's Note:** Back in the day when I was writing this, by this point in the story I wanted to try a little bit of some different kind of story telling when following Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Suki. For this chapter, I decided to tell their story through 1st person from Katara's POV, captured by her journal entries (which has only appeared very sporadically so far). There will be some time skips in between her entries, usually small but if there are any large skips I will talk about it, so just a head's up.

I will still tell Zuko's section of his story from his POV in my regular 3rd Person POV, so there will be a mix up of both styles of writing in this chapter. I had forgotten how big this chapter was (even for me, who usually tends to write 8k-10k on average per chapter), but at this point chopping up sections of this chapter would throw off the rest of my timing in following chapters, so I will keep it as is, just another head's up. Thanks for reading!

* * *

 **Journal Entry –**

 _It just keeps replaying over and over again-_

 _I feel like I'm losing it-_

I can't keep doing this.

The others are starting to become concerned about me. I guess I can see why. I haven't really talked to anyone in the last few days…or, at least, nothing beyond a one-word response. The thoughts and memories, and the unavoidable pain that comes with them, I remember, but everything else is…hazy.

Sokka and Suki finally came to talk to me last night. It was probably Suki who was trying to give me some space, but I think my brother's impatient and overprotective nature finally won out. Sokka questioned me about what was going on, but I couldn't bring myself to answer him. Not just because there was no point in telling him about something that no longer existed, but mainly because I had no desire to relive what had happened **that** day in my waking hours as well.

Sokka wasn't happy with my flat-out refusal to cooperate, but I wasn't going to budge. By the end of our 'conversation', we were both pretty upset at each other. Finally he asked if this was about what happened between me and Aang. I didn't answer right away, so he seemed to take it as an affirmation. I didn't bother to correct him.

Last night's events did help me to realize something. My current…actions…are worrying the others, and that's something that I didn't want to happen. Though I do think about my friends, the reason is almost entirely selfish. Mostly because I don't think I could make it through another one of my brother's 'interrogations'. I nearly fell apart the last time—right there in front of them—and that was when Sokka merely mentioned the Fire Nation, let alone **his** name.

I'm going to have to be more careful now. It's all too easy to let the memories take over, though the scariest thing is that a (large) part of me wants them too. The spirits know how much I want to think about **him** , but I can't let my thoughts stray anymore…it's too painful. I have therefore considered any subject matter regarding Zuk— **the** **current** **Fire Lord** – off limits. I have to stay focused and strong for the others, and right now, this is the only way I know how to do it.

We spend most of our day flying on Appa, and to help keep myself occupied I have picked up my journal again. Keeping myself busy is my new top priority, and the writing certainly helps with that. I think that once I'm done with this entry, I will go talk to Suki. It has been a while since our last chat, and it would definitely help pass the time—as long as we don't break my new rule.

I don't like keeping things from Suki, or from Sokka or Aang, but I don't really have a choice. I have to convince the others that I'm okay—even if, in reality, I'm at the furthest point from it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry** -

Trying to keep one's self constantly busy when spending at least eight hours of the day on a flying bison has proven quite a challenge. I've spent a lot of that time with Suki and Sokka, talking more about what we were doing before we all left our homes. It was nice, reminiscing with my brother about stuff we did as kids, and learning more about Suki. The more I watch the two of them, the more I realize how perfect they are for each other. Whereas most of my brother's goofy antics would have made me scowl or launch into a tirade, Suki just smiles or laughs along with him. Where she gets her unlimited amount of patience, I have no idea. I am really happy for the two of them…though sometimes it is hard to watch them together. It reminds me too much of what I used to have.

…and then there's Aang. He hasn't said more than a handful of words to me since we started our journey (though the first several days doesn't really count, since I didn't talk to anyone during that time anyways). Aang is definitely avoiding me, though. He never looks me in the eye anymore, and he always makes sure to sit or sleep the furthest away from me, with Sokka and Suki between us. It hurts, knowing that it's all my fault…that I'm the one who created the distance between us. Sokka and Suki must see some of it in my expression whenever I watch Aang slip away, because they try to reassure me, and tell me it will get better, with time. I, however, am not so optimistic.

We have reached the heart of the Earth Kingdom continent now. Sokka says that we are just a few days away from Ba Sing Se, though we will be passing by without stopping this time around. The city gives me mixed feelings; though many of our friends and masters are there, the place holds several unpleasant memories for me, not the least being what happened with Jet, and what nearly happened with Aang. Yes, I think Ba Sing Se can wait.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry -**

I've forgotten how much I actually enjoy cooking. In a way, it reminds me of home, and Gran-Gran—two things that I do find myself missing. Getting to eat extravagant meals is nice and all, but is extremely satisfying to know when one's hard work is appreciated. Of course, with Sokka and Aang, this appreciation usually comes in the form of inaudible slurps, grunts, and burps throughout the eating process—but it's a compliment nonetheless. Suki, I am pleased to note, often tells me that she enjoys my cooking. The only exceptions to this were the few unfortunate times when I, for some reason which I still cannot fathom, decided to cook some dubious ingredients that Sokka had 'caught'. Yes, Sokka is foraging for food for us again…and though he won't admit it, I know it's all just one big attempt for him to prove me wrong.

It all started when Sokka and I started telling Suki some more stories about us and our village. As time went on, I began to retell some of the many disastrous hunting trips that Sokka had embarked on, and so Sokka got really uppity and insisted that he was, in fact, quite an excellent hunter. When I logically pointed out to him that, considering the ratio of unsuccessful hunting trips to successful ones, he couldn't really call himself that, he stormed off. Since that conversation, he has spent all his hours at our campsites for the last couple of nights going out to 'hunt'.

Just last night, Sokka had found what he thought were blue-scale fish like the ones we had back home. I didn't have to jump in the water to realize, however, that they weren't the same fish. I told Sokka to leave them alone, or at least let one of the two waterbenders help him catch them, but he refused to listen to a single word I said (and he says **I'm** the stubborn sibling). He was only in the water for a few minutes before he caught one and held it up high like it was some kind of trophy. Sokka was just bragging about his catch when suddenly his whole body shook and he shrieked, dropping the fish. Aang and Suki came running at the sound, thinking he was in legitimate danger, but he quickly waved us off and told us it was just a 'little' shock (though it sure hadn't sounded that way). Most people of at least average intelligence would have given up the hunt at that point, but I think my brother kept at it, perhaps just to spite me. It was, however, quite humorous to watch him jump and screech every few minutes as he hopped back in forth trying to catch his elusive targets. Finally, he did manage to catch a very large specimen, and when Suki got to take a closer look at it she informed us that the fish was actually a catfish-eel, hence the electric shocks.

Sokka seemed rather proud of himself, until I pointed out how me or Aang could have caught the fish in a matter of seconds, and without all the splashing and screaming like a six-year old girl. This immediately wiped the smirk off my brother's face. He started ranting about the values of doing things the 'old-fashioned way', but I quickly interrupted him and pointed out that if he had any hopes of getting me to cook this thing, he should cease flapping his mouth immediately. For once, he listened to me. Just for the record, catfish-eel is **not** a tasty dish, even with it so burned that all you can really taste is the char flavor. But I know that the disastrous dinner had **nothing** to do with my cooking talent, and everything to do with the said questionable ingredients that Sokka has given me to work with. I have decided that the next time Sokka makes another such questionable dinner suggestion, I will instead bend the nearest source of water onto him, or have Suki smack some sense into him…whichever is quicker… After a group 'discussion' (which mostly involved me, Suki, and Aang persuading my brother out of his hunting adventures), we have decided to stick to the provisions we buy at the passing markets to supply our ingredients for cooking. While Sokka pouted a little at this news, the three of us have secretly rejoiced on this joint achievement.

Aside from the disastrous dinner, things are starting to look a little better. I was going through the bottom of my pack the other day when I found a book about advanced waterbending techniques (mostly centered around healing) that I had completely forgot that I had. Master Pakku had given it to me before we had left the Northern Water Tribe, but I hadn't had the time to read it yet. I now gladly spend several hours of each day studiously going through it. Though I know several of the techniques that it has gone over, there are some that are new to me, and it also has helped me to learn more about the anatomy of the body in general. It has made me realize that even though I am a master waterbender, I still have a lot to learn.

Sokka and Suki have been practicing some hand-to-hand combat lately. Well, it's mostly Suki trying to teach my brother some of the moves she learned as a Kyoshi warrior…the key word being **trying**. The whole thing started when Sokka challenged her to a 'Handbending Kai': like an Agni Kai, but with no weapons or evil, demented firebenders, as my brother puts it (even as he says it, he and Suki are overcome with a fit of giggles…I do not grasp the comedic value in this, nor do I think I want to). Every time they 'fought', if one can call it such a thing, Sokka got his butt kicked – pretty bad – until he finally admitted that their sessions needed to have more learning in it, and less fighting. Apparently, I was the only one who thought this was funny…go figure. Nevertheless, their practice sessions are entertaining to watch, even if sometimes Sokka gets carried away and starts trying to tickle Suki instead of actually fighting. It always backfires on him, though, because Suki is actually a lot less ticklish than my brother is. I consider it karmic justice.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry -**

Aang came and talked to me earlier today, just after we had made camp. I'm actually still kinda in shock from the whole ordeal. I've debated whether or not to write this down, but maybe putting words to it will help.

After we had gone a little further away from the others, Aang turned to me, and looked at me, I mean **really** looked at me, for the first time since the start of our journey. There was so much I wanted to tell him, but at that moment the only thing I was able to get out was a stammered apology. He told me, however, that I didn't need to apologize. He explained that it was unfair for him to be upset at me for not returning his feelings; that was a part of who I was, and it was something that he just needed to accept. I can't describe the relief I felt at his words – it was like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. In fact, I nearly rushed at him to engulf him in a hug, when something in his gaze stopped me. I saw the hurt in his eyes then, and before I could say anything else he started to speak. He told me that he did want to stay friends with me, because our friendship was something that he had always treasured, but—… **but** , right now, he needed some time, and some space.

Even now, I hate that thought, and even the very words I had to use to put it on this page. There's never been this **space** between us. We've always been there for each other; to help each other when it seemed everyone and everything else was against us, or to share a laugh at some goofy joke he had just made. I know it's selfish, but I don't want to keep my distance. I need my friend more now, than ever. Something to help with the hole that I feel inside of me…anything at all… I—I can't think about this anymore—

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry –**

Just when I thought things were starting to get better, I feel like I've taken several steps backward. The lack of a decent night's sleep isn't helping either. I just feel so tired, in more ways than one. I tried, once, to take a nap in Appa's saddle when I was feeling particularly sleepy. Soon, though, I was jerked awake, only to find Suki standing over me; both of the boys were sitting by Appa's head. When I asked what was going on, she said she had woken me up because I had starting moaning and talking in my sleep. She must have seen the panicked expression that crossed my face, because she immediately added that I had been mumbling, and was mostly incoherent—though I noticed that she looked away when she said it. I wonder if she heard anything… considering what happened that afternoon, I have decided that future naps on Appa are out of the question.

My temper has resurfaced as well. I had always thought of myself as a patient person, but lately every little thing seems to irritate me. But, in my defense, my brother has actually gone out of his way to upset me. Really, he has. He's become **obsessed** with the whole hand-to-hand combat thing, and has even taken to challenging Aang and I to 'spar' with him. After the second time I froze his legs and hands into blocks of ice, he decided not to pester me anymore about it. But I swear, if I hear him say 'Handbending Kai' **one more time,** I'll freeze his tongue to Appa's backside…permanently.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry** -

Aang has started talking to me again, in a way. We've been exchanging little snippets of conversation here and there—when we're setting up camp or over dinner—and we even shared a joke this morning…the first in what seems like months. He's still very hesitant, but it's progress, nonetheless. I am beginning to hope again.

In attempt to get into my good graces, my brother started to help me with everyone's dishes after dinner. The help was great, while it lasted…but inevitably, about halfway through, he would usually get bored and start a splashing war with either Aang, Suki, or me—or some combination thereof. Needless to say, I have once again banned my brother from dish duty. He doesn't seem the least bit upset at this news.

Now that's we're all spending so much time together in such close proximity again, I have noticed something about Sokka and Suki over the last few days. They have a LOT of nicknames for each other—and not the quirky, kinda-funny-but-kinda-annoying nicknames like Toph does—I mean the gooey, so-sweet-it-makes-me-want-to puke kind of names. I have decided to create a list of the ones I have heard thus far, from the less frequent up to the most frequently used (the funny thing is, many of them are food-related, thus proving my theory that my brother only thinks with his stomach):

10) Spunky Muffin

9) Roo-roo

8) Honey Bunny

7) Lumlums

6) Snuggly-wookums

5) My delicious crumb cake

4) Shmoopsie Poo

3) Tasty cakes

2) Mookie-pookie bear

1) Sweetiekins

I think I just might be sick.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry –**

After a little over two weeks on Appa, we finally reached the city of Wuhan. We decided to explore the city as a group, and ask the people we came across if anyone had seen Kuei and Bosco. Most of them gave us strange looks as we tried to describe the duo, and it wasn't until later in the afternoon that we found someone that had seen them. We also found out why they had come there in the first place. Apparently, Wuhan is known for its large central food market and its many different kinds of drinks (it became very clear, very soon, that the 'drinks' in question were alcoholic in nature…ugh). They had also just concluded their weeks-long Summer festival, which had included day after day of feasting, singing, dancing, and staged performances. It wasn't too hard to see why our wayward Earth King had been drawn to this place in his quest to see the world. Unfortunately for us, we found out that Kuei and his furry companion had left the city four days ago. But we did learn, at least, that the pair was headed out east. Kuei had mentioned something about going to Tiajin; it was about three days journey from the city, on foot, but Aang said we could probably reach it on Appa in less than a day.

Even though the festival had just ended, there were still a lot of extra vendors in the market place, still offering their exotic food and wares. When Sokka and Aang first begged to stay, I had pointed out, quite correctly I think, that we really needed to be heading towards Tiajin, since we now knew that's where Kuei was going to be. But the boys immediately protested, on the grounds that it could be WEEKS before they had another chance to feast or relax like his again. And with the big, puppy dog eyes that both Aang and Sokka gave me and Suki when they said that, it really was impossible to say no.

So I admit, it was somewhat interesting, and it was a welcome change in scenery. Trying all the different types of food and candy, and looking at some of the weird and kooky stuff for sale all had a nostalgic feel to it; it almost felt like the days before Sozin's Comet again. I hadn't seen Aang smile so much in weeks. He had bought several little things throughout the afternoon, from finger traps to exploding arom-bombs. Aang was very excited by the latter purchase, though Sokka, Suki, and me had never heard of them before. Aang explained, and then later demonstrated over and over again, the little multi-colored spheres would make a very loud and very **annoying** pop upon impact, then leave a strong odor in their wake. Usually this odor was pleasant—fragrant lily, delicious blueberry, lemon pie, to name a few—but, unfortunately we also encountered a few that I hope I never have to experience again for the remainder of my existence (why, dear spirits, did they have to make one that smelled like a sloth-skunk?). Ugh.

We were on our way out of the city when Aang looked over at one of the merchant's tables, and suddenly stopped. A strange expression came over his face as he looked at this one statuette on the table. When I came closer, I realized it was a woman airbender, clearly marked by her arrow tattoos, holding a small infant in her arms. When Aang asked the merchant about it, he explained that he had bought it from a friend of his, and had no clue how it was obtained in the first place. Also, it was also the only item for sale that had anything to do with airbending. Aang looked disappointed at the news, so I tried to change the subject, and asked him if the statue reminded him of his mother. I don't know what kind of reaction I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't the one Aang gave me. His expression blanked and his voice took on an almost eerie, serene quality as told me that he didn't have a mother; at least, not in the way that I understood it. I was so shocked at his response that I didn't know what to say to him. I mean, how can you **not** have a mother? What did that even mean? However, Aang didn't appear to want to discuss it anymore, and with the current state of our friendship, I didn't want to push the subject.

That night, we were sitting around our campfire, discussing our plans for tomorrow. Aang had been unusually quiet the whole time, when he suddenly looked at both Sokka and me and wanted to know if he could ask us something about our mother. Sokka was the first of the two of us to recover from the surprise change of subject, so he said Aang could. After a brief pause, Aang asked us if we thought we would different people today if we had never know our mother, at all. I had finally had recovered enough to answer him that yes, it would have changed me. It was my mother who had raised me and Sokka when we were little, and showered us with love; she was the one that had first taught me the value of helping others, and to never give up. When I trailed off, Sokka said that he felt the same way too, and although we had only a short time with our mother, she still had been a big influence on our lives.

Aang looked thoughtful, but also a little sad, at our answers, and I couldn't help but ask him if this had something to do with the statue we had seen earlier that day. He said it did, and told us that the Air Nomads had a very different way of raising children. They didn't have families like the other nations did; to them, the entire temple was a family, a community that was linked together and that shared in all aspects of each others' lives. Once a child was born, all the women in the temple helped to raise them; whether that be nursing a child, tending to them when they were sick, or teaching them basic skills. There was no distinction or precedence given to the woman who had actually given birth to the baby; they were all "mothers" in a sense, though they had never called themselves that. Sokka asked if it was the same with the fathers, but Aang shook his head. He explained that the men and women didn't live in the same temples, so the men weren't really around the young children. Men lived in the Northern and Southern Air Temples, while the woman and small children lived in the Western and Eastern Air Temples.

This was definitely a big shock to the three of us. In fact, Sokka immediately jumped and protested this fact, pointing out if that was the case, then how did they make babies in the first place? (when Sokka finally spit out the words, his face turned a very amusing shade of deep red). Aang calmly replied that some of the men would come visit the Western and Eastern Air Temples at certain times of the year, at special seasonal festivals. During the festival, which would usually last for several days, there would be time for couplings. But when the festival was over, the men would leave again, and the women would give birth and raise the children together at the temple. When boys would reach a certain age, they would go to either the Northern or Southern Air temples, to begin their airbending training. At that time, they were also given a mentor to help guide them; for Aang, it was Monk Gyatso. Aang told us that he had loved growing up in the temples, but since traveling the world and listening to the rest of us talk about our parents, he wondered what it would have been like to have a father and mother like that.

Sokka, Suki, and Aang talked for a little while longer, until it was time to go to bed. I, however, couldn't think of anything else to say. The whole concept was so foreign to me that it was still hard to wrap my mind around it. I couldn't imagine my life without my parents it in; even my mother, even though she had died when I was still very young. My parents, Gran-Gran, Sokka—they are all my family, and what I think of when I think of home. I couldn't imagine a life where I hadn't ever known them as my family—I wouldn't want to. As much as I respect Aang and the Air Nomads, I can't agree with what they did. It just isn't right.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry –**

Our group reached Tiajin the next day, and it became quickly apparent that finding our missing pair was going to be a **lot** harder than what we had expected. Usually, traveling with a large bear for a pet would attract obvious attention; unless, of course, you happened to visit a city that had several circuses currently taking up residence there all at the same time. We quickly found out that the people of Tiajin enjoyed their entertainment, and were willing to pay quite a lot to have them. This, in turn, meant all the circus troops in the Earth Kingdom made a habit of coming to visit the city quite frequently. Most of the time, when we asked someone if they had seen Kuei and his pet bear, we were simply laughed at, while others would tell us that had seen no less than a dozen such pairs in just one day.

We came back to our little camp that night without a single lead, and it was the same the following day. After two days of fruitless searching, and often being treated rudely or as if you were obviously crazy, I was definitely not in the best of moods. And it seemed like, once again, that my brother was going out of his way to irritate me. He even had the gall to complain about the stew that I had made. As if he had ever cooked a day in his entire life! When I told him as much, he snapped back at me, which promptly lead into a very lengthy, and very heated, argument. I can't even remember exactly what we said to each other, but at some point in our fight he said that I was doing "it" again. When I calmly asked him what exactly he was referring to by "it", he explained. Sokka said that I was unfairly lashing out with temper again, just like I did at the western air temple, when Zuk— **HE** joined our group.

Sokka kept talking, but my entire being froze at the casual utterance of that one word, that one name. Almost against my will, memories of our first days together at the air temple flooded my thoughts, along with the guilt associated with my vindictive actions. But all too soon they faded to be replaced by the newer memories...

I could feel it building in me –the tears were just the beginning of what was to come—so I quickly excused myself from the others. I couldn't let them see this.

The nightmares were even worse that night.

* * *

"Did you sense anything, Toph?" Zuko only briefly glanced at his friend as she came to sit next to him. He focused his attention once again on the seedy inhabitants of the inn, scanning the crowd for any of the distinctive tattoos that marked the bearer as a member of the Sons of Sozin. So far though, they hadn't had any such luck.

"You know, Sparky, if you look as rough as you sound, you could start passing for a regular around here, even without the cloak and hood."

She had said it very softly, but Zuko still quickly looked around him, to make sure no one had overheard. When he was satisfied that no one had, he turned and aimed a glare at the earthbender, even though he knew she couldn't see it. The last thing he needed right now was to fight his way out of here. He was trying to be discreet, after all.

"Well, did you find anything, or not?"

Toph sighed. "No, I didn't. There aren't any tunnels underneath here; just a small cellar, nothing else."

Anger flared up inside of him, but he took a deep breath in an attempt to dispel it. His temper had grown shorter as of late, and the current situation he was in was not helping it either. This inn had been the last on the list that the captive assassin had told them was a hangout for Sons members, but just like the others, it had been a dead end. He still believed that one of the members would come to one of the locations sooner or later; it had to be just a matter of time. And he would keep searching, night after night, until he spotted one.

"Can we go back now," Toph grumbled, "or you refusing to sleep at all nowadays?"

Zuko grimaced. By his reckoning, there was still probably three or four hours before sunrise. Just enough time to get a little sleep in before he started his daily regiment again. He got up with the sun every morning, and got a little bit of training in before Kenshin would come to brief him on the day's agendas. Then it would be paperwork and various meetings throughout the day, and helping Kenshin look through more of Daichi's records whenever he got some spare time. Then, at night, he would pick one of the inns from their assassin's list, and sit and watch for any of the Sons to show for hours and hours; until, finally, when it was well into the next day, he was too exhausted to stay any longer. The combination of exhaustion and lack of sleep also rendered his dreams short and nearly incomprehensible. It was a small relief, at least. It also meant that Toph, Masato, and Liem now took turns going with him at night to the various inns. None of them understood how he could keep up such a grueling schedule. But he had several reasons to motivate him.

"Let's go."

Toph looked a little relieved at his statement. The two of them made their way quietly through the front door, and out onto the city streets. There was only two other people in the vicinity, a pair of drunks that were hanging on to each other as they weaved along, half-singing some unintelligible song. With the shabby clothes that Zuko and Toph had worn as part of their disguise, they looked like just another pair of citizens heading back home from a late night outing. Well, Toph was shorter than your average person roaming the streets, but thankfully she didn't attract too much attention.

"Look, Sparky, I know you're not big on talking, but you're really starting to worry me." When Zuko glanced over at Toph, her lips had turned down into a frown. Her voice was quiet, but insistent. "Everyone needs someone to talk to now and then."

"I'm fine," he curtly replied. He definitely did _not_ want to have this conversation.

"You and I both know that's a lie." Toph determinedly kept pace with him. "You may fool the others, but you can't fool me."

"Toph, I don't have time for this."

"Yeah, except that you've told me that every single time I've tried to talk to you about it. You're avoiding the issue." Zuko continued on without answering, and finally Toph huffed. "Geez, and people call _me_ stubborn. I'm not giving up on you, so are you just going to open up already, or are you going to make this difficult?"

His temper flared again, but this time he did nothing to curb it. He abruptly stopped and turned towards his short companion, his voice low, but seething with anger. "And what do you want me to say, Toph? You want me to hold your hand, tell you a sob story, and then cry on your shoulder?" He started walking again before the last words left his lips. "Sorry, but it's not going to happen."

Before he taken four steps, the diminutive earthbender had planted herself directly in his path. It had happened so quickly, that he swore that she must have used her earthbending to do it. "No, that's not what I expect, because that's not your style. You have more in common with your bending element than you realize." Her tone noticeably softened. "You have to let some of it out though, otherwise you're going to burn yourself up from the inside out."

Zuko suddenly leaned down closer to Toph, until his face was merely a few inches away from her. His words came out as a furious whisper. "You want to know what I'm feeling? I'm angry, Toph. I'm angry because I have half the city, including my own generals, just waiting to see me fail and take my entire nation down with me. I'm angry because I have an ancient, elusive organization that wants to see me dead, a father and sister who would happy to see it happen, and to top it all off, I don't' even know why the Sons of Sons want me killed in the first place!" He brought his hand up between them, with three fingers held up. "Three, Toph. I haven't even been Fire Lord for a full month yet and there's already been three assassination attempts on my life, not to mention how they got to Katara…"

Zuko faltered at the memory, and hastily straightened up. He could no longer look his friend in the eyes. "It's been sixteen days since I sent her away for her own protection, and now…" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Now, she probably hates me for it." All the anger had seeped out of him, leaving him feeling hollow and empty. "And she has every reason to."

"If that's the case," Toph softly answered him, "then why did she leave you her necklace? She could have left it a million different places, or even thrown it away, but she didn't. She specifically left if for you, and I think that means something."

 _Her necklace…_ Toph's statement took him by surprise, but he should have known that with her earthbending skills, and her knowledge about the two of them, that she would recognize the necklace for what it was. _Could Toph be right? Should I even let myself hope for such a thing?_ He began walking again as his mind turned over what Toph had told him. _I want to believe Toph…that there is even the slightest chance that Katara and I-_ Zuko shook his head slightly, cutting off the dangerous line of thought. _I can't allow myself to dwell on wishful thinking. I have to keep it together, and concentrate on the here and now._

He realized he had probably been a little too harsh on Toph. His temper really was getting away from him. Zuko sighed. "Thanks, Toph, for sticking with me." He looked over and gave the earthbender a small half-smile. "Even if I was being the world's biggest jerk."

She immediately returned his smile. "No problem, Sparky. That's what friends are for."

As Zuko focused again on the street ahead of him, he had to admit that he did feel a little better. He was contemplating on whether or not to tell Toph that, when something up ahead caught his attention. A man came out of one of the larger buildings—most likely another inn—and walked out into the street ahead of them. As the man stepped into the light of a nearby torch, Zuko could begin to make out the dark distinction of a tattoo on the man's neck. It looked to be about the right size and shape…

Toph must have felt him tense, because she grabbed his arm. "What is it?"

"It's one of the Sons. I'm _sure_ of it." Zuko made sure to keep his voice down. "He just came on the street, off to our right a little, about twenty to thirty feet ahead of us."

"Got him. What do you what to do?"

"I want to see where he's headed. We need to follow him, but keep our distance."

"Piece of cake," she answered smugly. "Just say when."

Zuko let the man get a little further down the street before they started out again. Soon enough, their target turned off the main street and went down one of the narrow alleyway leading off from it. Zuko created a very small, faint light to see by as he followed Toph through the correct twists and turns of the back alleys. It was hard to tell by the dim light, but Zuko could swear that the buildings around them almost seemed familiar, like he had been there before. Then it came to him.

"I know where we are," Zuko softly told Toph as she directed him to take another left. "We're in the industrial section of Harbor City. This is where the Sons of Sozin attacked me, Katara, and Suki the first time."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I am. With the direction and distance we've taken since leaving the inn—it would put us on the east side of the market, in the same area as the original attack."

Toph sounded surprised. "Not too shabby, Sparky. Did you make a habit of exploring shady back-alleys in the dark as a kid?"

"Actually, it was the tunnels under the city, not back-alleys, but same idea." Toph abruptly stopped in front of him, which nearly made him crash into her. "What is it?"

"He's stopped in front of some building. I feels like he's in front of a door."

"How far ahead?"

"Around the next corner, two buildings down."

When they reached the corner Toph spoke off, Zuko slowly peeked around it. He couldn't see anything at first, with everything being shrouded in darkness, but suddenly a shaft of light appeared. Zuko could then make out a door opening and the outline of a figure standing in it. Their target and the new person stood facing each other before they both finally moved inside and shut the door again, cutting off the light. Zuko turned back to his companion.

"Can you sense anyone else in there, Toph?"

"Yes, and I can tell you right now that there's a lot of them."

"Care to venture a guess?"

"Quick guess? –I'd say about thirty or so."

Zuko moved back from the corner and leaned against the nearby wall. "No wonder they were able to attack us with such a large group that day. We practically walked right by their front door."

"So, what's the plan now?"

He thought about it for a moment before he answered her. "We're going to have to hit them hard and fast if we want to avoid what happened last time. That's why we're going to go back to the palace, and bring back every guard that Masato can spare with us to help capture the Sons of Sozin." He gritted his teeth. "This time, there can't be any mistakes."

"Sound good, as long as that includes some rest time for us between now and then."

"Toph, I don't have time-"

"Everyone needs sleep, Sparky, including you. Otherwise, we're going to be useless for this fight. So either you can go to the palace and get some sleep on your own free will; or I can encase you in dirt from head to toe, drag you up this mountain, and drop you in your bed myself. Which is it going to be?"

Zuko sighed. "Fine. We'll come back, after we've got some rest in. Satisfied?"

"As a matter of fact, I am."

He shook his head. "Let's go. We have a lot of plans to make."

* * *

 **Journal Entry –**

Sokka has come up with a new strategy for searching for Kuei and Bosco. Instead of just asking random people all around the city, he decided to have us concentrate on one section of the city at time. He suggested asking the circus groups first, since there was a good chance that our pair had gone to see at least one of them. We decided to split up into pairs, and each take a different circus group to canvas. Naturally, Sokka and Suki made up the one pair, leaving me and Aang to pair up.

It was awkward at first, and slow-going, on the account of Aang getting distracted and side-tracked numerous times. There were several times where I literally had to take him by the arm and drag him away from the scene. The circus performers were constantly practicing their acts; and we saw all types, from knife throwers to tight-rope walkers and so-called magicians. Aang was particularly fascinated by how they managed to make objects vanish; one of the magicians even managed to make Momo disappear, right in front of our eyes. I was just moments away from freezing the man and forcing him to talk when Momo suddenly appeared again, on a table nearly five feet away from where we were standing. Aang thought this was all fantastically entertaining. I, however, did not.

Thanks to my diligent supervision, we were able to cover three of the larger groups that day. Unfortunately, we still didn't find anything, and as we found out later that night, neither did Sokka and Suki. The others were convinced that it was just a matter of time before we found them. I was beginning to think it was all just a huge waste of time.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry -**

We have now spent **five whole days** searching this stupid city, without a single clue or trace that the Earth King and his ridiculous pet were ever here. Even Suki and Aang are beginning to see my point. For all we know, they could have changed their minds and gone to a different city, or been sidetracked on their way here…who knows! I mean, we're talking about a man who just decided, on the spot, to become a hermit and travel around the world with a bear who he talks to like his best friend. So, why do we suddenly expect this man to make sane, logical decisions? Ugh!

The four of us had a heated discussion this morning on what we should do next. Aang, Suki, and I think we should start looking elsewhere, even backtracking if necessary. But my brother keeps insisting that we should still look for them in Tiajin. When I questioned his line of logic, he answered it's because his 'gut' feeling tells him to. Knowing how my brother often thinks with his stomach, instead of his actual brains, I tend to think it has nothing to do with the search and everything to do with the availability and endless supply of ready-to-eat meat in the city (though he fiercely denies this, I know better). In the end, we compromised: Sokka and Suki would keep searching Tiajin for our duo, while Aang and I would take Appa and make a large sweep in the area, looking for him from above, even going back to Wuhan if necessary.

At this point, if we ever do find the Earth King, I might just have to strangle him…just because.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry –**

Sokka is **never** going to shut up about this. I just know that I'm going to keep hearing about it for the rest of my natural life. So…we finally found the Earth King, and guess who found him? Yup, it was my brother. His head has swelled up about three times its normal size after been proven right about his 'hunch'. He has taken to continuously remind me of this fact no less than ten times within the last couple of hours. I am reaching the point now to where I want to strange him instead.

Regardless, I am relieved that we found Kuei and Bosco. Our destination now will be to head to Ba Sing Se. Since it just a few hours from sunset, the others have decided that we might as well stay in Tiajin for the night, and take a moment to celebrate. Aang and Sokka in particular have been excitedly naming off things that they would like to do before we leave. I don't care either way what we do, as long as it keeps my mind off things. It's better that way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry –**

The journey back to Ba Sing Se has probably been one of the longest and most unbearable trips we've made so far. When Aang had the saddle for Appa made, he clearly didn't plan on having to fit five people and an overgrown, smelly, slobbering bear in it. I had always thought Bosco was really cute and intriguing (for him being just a regular bear), but after having to spend several hours of each day in close proximity to him, I have decided that there is nothing cute about having to smell wet fur and rotting fish breath all the time (Kuei assures me that Bosco only ever eats fresh meat, but considering I am the one who has been inhaling this noxious aroma, I consider that hard to believe). Kuei's addition to our party has also upset the precarious balance within our little group. Usually, Aang and Sokka's often ridiculous and childish antics are kept in check by me and Suki's sensible level-headedness. Now, however, we find ourselves outnumbered by 'men' that think that performing circus stunts while cramped on the back of a bison flying hundreds of feet in the air is a fantastic idea. While I'm glad to see Aang acting like his usual self, I do not exactly approve of these new activities. After being exposed to this ludicracy for many endless hours, I have decided that I want to strangle all three of the boys, including the bear.

Just as I thought things couldn't get any worse, Kuei has begged Aang to tell him all about his adventures as the Avatar—as in, a detailed retelling of everything that happened to Aang and the rest of us, from when we found him frozen in the ice to defeating Ozai. For obvious reasons, I have had **no desire whatsoever** in hearing any of this. I have therefore been spending most of my time at Appa's reins, where, with the wind gladly whipping in my ears, I have been unable to hear most of their conversations. Riding on Appa's neck has prevented me from reading or writing in my journal, so I have filled the time by reciting children's stores that Gran-Gran told me and my brother, to going over waterbending techniques in my head. It works, most of the time.

So for the first time in I don't know how long, Aang and I actually had a sparring match. And it all started because of Kuei (which, in my eyes, is the only positive thing he's contributed to the group during this whole trip). He kept wanting Aang to demonstrate his various bending skills over and over again. I wouldn't have minded this at all, except that when Kuei told him he was the best bender he had ever seen (including waterbending), Aang started to agree with him. **Excuse me** , but who was it that trained with Aang for an **entire year** and taught him **every** waterbending move he knows? It was me, thank you very much. I might not be the Avatar, but I **am** a master waterbender, and pretty good one at that. When I pointed all this out to the two of them, Kuei actually had the nerve to say that he didn't believe I could beat Aang. That did it.

I practically dragged Aang away from the campfire and out to the nearest clearing. He seemed hesitant and unsure about the whole thing, but I wasn't taking no for an answer. After the others had come to watch from a safe distance, we started the match (after I clarified it was waterbending only). At first, Aang did what he had always done in the past whenever we sparred—which was to be a little more reserved, and try not to aim too close to me. I, on the other hand, had no such reservations. I attacked relentlessly, and just when I thought he was going to give up, he suddenly seemed to spring to life and started beating back all my attacks. From that moment on, the fight evened out, with the two of us trading moves back and forth. In the end, I froze a patch of ground behind Aang and then used a large wave to push Aang back onto it. He slipped when he stepped on the icy surface, and I used to opportunity to freeze his arms and legs into solid blocks of ice. Aang wisely decided to call the match in my favor. Perhaps my methods were a little sneaky, but at the time, I didn't really care. I had proven my point.

Later that evening, when we were sitting around the fire, I thought again about the sparring match. The whole thing, from start to finish, had felt so… good. It had been a few weeks since I had done more than practice a few bending moves here and there, so the match had been exciting and exhilarating. It felt good to be **doing** something, and to feel so completely in control. I think it's the closest thing to 'fun' that I've had so far since being on this trip.

I think I will ask Aang tomorrow if he would like to spar again. At this point, I don't care so much if I win or lose the next match, I just to experience the thrill again…to feel the rush.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry -**

So I've managed to convince Aang to spar with me some more. Our evening matches have been the one thing I've been looking forward to the most. Sometimes Aang just uses waterbending, and other times he'll combine it with the other elements. We've been pretty even on wins and losses (not that anyone is really keeping track of course…), and I've been trying out a few of the new moves I've learned from Master Pakku's book. My favorite so far is probably mud-bending. Making instant sink-holes is a great way to throw your opponent completely off guard, and making mud walls to hide behind leaves them guessing as to where the next attack is coming from. I have also found it useful against earthbending. I find it very satisfying to watch the astonished look on Aang's face when his earthbending attack is completely turned to mush and rendered ineffective by my mud-bending.

Of course, now Aang is starting to use mud-bending too. I guess it was only a matter of time before he used it to splatter mud balls right in my face. This then proceeded to start an all-out mud brawl, which was quickly, and enthusiastically, joined by Sokka, Suki, and Kuei (and by Bosco, who absolutely loved rolling around in the stuff in the midst of the pitched battle). It was hard to say who won the fight, though I think it's safe to say that Sokka got it the worse…the mud was so thick on him that at one point Kuei confused him for Bosco, had plopped right on top of his chest and had given him a head noogie before the high-pitched yelps were interpreted as Sokka's. Sokka later complained that he had had mud in places that he didn't think it was possible for mud to get in. Knowing how my brother sometimes thinks, I didn't ask him to clarify.

We are still a few day from Ba Sing Se. I didn't think I would be so eager to get to the city, but I am ready to be permanently grounded again…in a preferably bear-free zone. If I never see another bear in my entire life, it will be too soon.

* * *

"So, you can really feel every one of them in there?"

Liem came up and stood next to Toph in the narrow alleyway. Even though he had been around her for a couple weeks now, he still sometimes had a hard time wrapping his head around the extent of her bending skills.

"Every one of them with a heartbeat," she smirked, "…so yes, I can."

"Is there any chance you can tell if our friend in the blue armor is in there?"

"Not really." Toph used her earthbending to do another vibration sweep on the building and its inhabitants. There were about the same number of people inside as there was when she and Sparky had found it earlier. Whether or not Goro was in the building, however, was another question. "There's a lot of people in there wearing armor. We'll just have to find that out the hard way." She felt her friend's pulse spike a little at her statement, and she couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Hey, you're not getting all scared on me, are ya? I thought you said you were up for this."

"I _am_ up for this," he answered defensively, "and I'm _not_ scared…I'm just trying to get a feel for the situation, is all."

" _Sure_ you are. You know, it's not too late to run back to the palace." It was so easy to rile the kid, which made it all that much more fun. "I'm sure Kenshin would be _happy_ to babysit you while us grown-ups handle the big, bad Sons of Sozin."

"Why you…" Liem growled and moved as if to try to tackle her, but Toph held up her hand to stop him. "Uh-uh. Remember, you're under my supervision Scrawny, so if you want to stay, you gotta play nice." Liem huffed at her statement, but didn't say anything. Zuko hadn't wanted Liem to participate in the attack at all, but after much protesting on the Liem's part, and with a little persuasion on hers, Zuko had finally conceded the point. She had been around Scrawny enough to know that he had some useful skills and a good head on his shoulders; if the kid wanted to come along, so be it.

Liem sighed, and when he finally spoke, his voice was laced with frustration. "Are we ever going to move? If we keep waiting here, sooner or later, one of the Sons is going to stumble across us, and then the gig's up for good."

Toph did a quick sweep of the entire area. "The other groups are almost there now." Zuko had brought about fifty guards, most of them firebenders, with them to Harbor City. They had quickly split up into three groups: Masato and half of the guards would go through the front, while Zuko and the rest of the guards would enter through the back of the building. She and Liem would stay separate from the others and find a different route in. She had found an underground tunnel underneath the assassin's hangout, so she needed to make sure to close it off, pronto.

"-Wait, there it is!" Liem spoke up excitedly. When the Zuko and Masato were ready, they were going to send up a quiet, but noticeable signal up in the sky. If the others were in position, it was time to go.

Toph stood up straight. "Alright, it's show time." Instead of answering her, she felt Liem pat his clothes in a few places, no doubt making sure his 'hidden' daggers where in place, and then waited for her to make her move. With a firm nod, Toph stepped in front of him and quickly headed for the hideout. When they had reached the side of the building, she placed her hand along the wall. The wall itself wasn't thick at all; it would be a breeze to get through, but, more importantly, she felt the building's inhabitants already moving inside. Most were moving towards the front and back entrances, but a few where heading towards its center, right where the tunnel began.

"I hate to question your moves, O Fearless Leader, but shouldn't we be finding a way in?"

That made Toph smile. "Just watch and learn, Shorty."

He scoffed. "Excuse me? I'm just as tall-". But the rest of his words cut off as a large section of the wall suddenly began to shift and groan. With one more quick thrust of her arms, the rectangular piece broke away from the rest of the wall and then landed on the ground a few feet away. Liem stared open-mouthed at the newly created door for a few moments before he finally composed himself. "Well, I guess making a large, gaping hole in the wall is one way to do it." He gestured towards the opening. "After you."

The room they had broken into was small and empty, save for a few unopened crates here and there. The two of them hurriedly crossed the room, and went through the door that opened up into one of the large central rooms. A quick survey told Toph that there was an interior second floor balcony that was currently empty, and two sets of stairs at the corner of the ground floor: one for the upstairs and one heading for the tunnels. Standing between them and the stairs were three men, and if Toph had to bet any money, they were most likely fire benders.

Even as the thought crossed her mind, the men started towards them in precise, measured steps that told her they were starting a firebending form. She created a large wall of earth several feet in front of her and Liem, just in time to block the three fire blasts coming at them. With another step and thrust of her arms, she split the wall into three sections and aimed each of them towards a different firebender. Before her opponents had time to react, she had pushed them up against the wall and secured them there with earthen restraints on their arms and legs

"Nice work." Liem replied, a touch of awe in his voice.

"Thanks," she replied smugly. She was about to tell him that they needed to get moving when she suddenly felt Liem tense next to her.

"Above you!"

The words were barely out of Liem's mouth when Toph pulled some of the earth around her up and over the two of them, making a large shield above them. Several large blasts pounded against her barrier, heating it considerably, but it held soundly. _Where did those come from?_ She hadn't felt anyone else in the immediate area, unless… _it must have come from the upstairs._ A sudden thud up ahead of them let her know that her attacker had just come down to their level. _Gotcha._ With two quick moves, Toph restrained the firebender and continued on to their original destination. Liem was right on her heels as they raced down the stairways into the tunnel. When they were about halfway down the stairs, Toph sensed someone coming at them from further inside the tunnel, which immediately made her stop.

The firebender tried to get a quick shot off at her, but she moved a section of the tunnel in front of her to block the attack, and then made a large bump on the floor, enough to trip the man and then secure him once he was on the ground. A yell from behind made her turn around her, but she soon realized that it came from a man facing Liem. She sensed Liem move, and suddenly the man coughed and groaned as he slipped to the ground.

"What was that?" She asked, still a little perplexed.

It was Liem's turn to sound smug. "It's a little powder concoction I made on my own. He won't be wanting to open his eyes or smell anything for a while."

"Not too shabby." The kid seemed to have an endless supply of surprises up his sleeve. "We need to keep going, though. There are three others in the tunnel, just a little ahead of us. We should be able to catch up to them."

"You're the boss," he answered, only slightly mocking this time.

She smiled a little before turning around and hurrying further down the narrow tunnel. When their three targets were close enough, Toph suddenly stopped and threw her arm out, creating a solid wall in front of the fleeing assassins. She felt the person in the front of the group throw a large fire blast at her wall, but it stubbornly held. Realizing that they weren't going anywhere anytime soon, the three men turned to face them. Liem came up to stand beside her, and suddenly gasped.

"It's him," he whispered, his voice full of recognition.

"Him who?"

"The one towards the back; I think he's Goro's boss. I saw him once at the Weeping Merchant Inn, everyone-"

"You kids," a deep voice interrupted Liem, "made a grave mistake coming down here after us." The man seemed very calm, which was something seeing as how a fight was about to break out. "If you open the tunnel back up again and leave immediately, I just might consider sparing your lives."

"And _you've_ made a grave mistake if you that's going to scare us off." Toph smirked. "I've had plenty of practice kicking some firebender ass."

The man actually chuckled. "I imagine so. But then, we are not just simple firebenders, as you're about to find out."

At his words, every one of them started to move. The two men in front stepped forward, their arms sweeping forward to attack as Toph planted her feet and began to pull sections of the earth around her. Even as she concentrated on moving her element she could feel Liem step forward and throw two of his daggers at the men, while the third man—the speaker—calmly pulled something from his waist. Still moving, Toph had just encased both of the men's legs in rock and was going to target their arms when Liem yelled.

"Toph! Look out!"

Too late, Toph felt something hit the ground just a few feet away from her. She frantically threw her arm out, trying to use her earthbending to catapult it the other direction and make a shield just as Liem tackled her. As they were falling backwards, whatever it was that the man threw exploded. The impact ripped through the air, and slammed them into the ground, with Liem on top of her. The next instant, everything went fuzzy to her, and she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Zuko's eyes narrowed as a man dressed all in black stepped into the doorway ahead of him. The man was blocking him from the next room, where he knew many of the Sons of Sozin were waiting for him and his guards. But instead of stepping into another firebending form, Zuko rushed at him and brought his hands up. The man in black tried to swing his arm out towards him, but he deftly blocked the move with his left arm and used the palm of his right hand to strike the man square on his breastplate. The action temporarily knocked the breath out of the man, and Zuko used the opportunity to sweep his feet out from under him, bringing him to the ground.

One of the guards behind him quickly bent down to tie the man up, but Zuko was already moving into the large room. There, in the center of the room, was Goro, wearing his blue armor and a helmet, with a dozen other Sons members already positioned to fight. The tightly-coiled anger that Zuko had been carefully keeping in check surged at seeing his long-hidden enemy right in front of him. A small voice told him he should wait for the rest of his guards to join him, but he ignored it. Taking a deep breath, Zuko swept his arms up and inward, and then spun around, pushing his hands out when he came full circle. The motion created a line of fire in front of him that immediately surged forward and exponentially expanded as it approached his opponents. One of the men next to Goro stepped in front of their leader and created a wall of their own fire, making both attacks dissipate when they met. The subordinate then rushed at Zuko, forcing him to momentarily switch to defense as he blocked the man's continuous attacks.

Out of the corner of his vision, Zuko could see that his guards had now jumped into the fray, and were locked in their own small battles with the slightly outnumbered Sons of Sozin. He had instructed all of the men and women he brought with him that the Sons members were to be taken prisoner. This, however, made fighting them much harder, because while Zuko and his people were trying only to capture their opponents, and not seriously harm them, their enemies had no such restraints; the Sons of Sozin were fighting to kill.

The assassin that had rushed at Zuko was now trying desperately to block Zuko's barrage of fire blasts. As he tried to aim at the man's feet, his opponent jumped into the air and threw a fireball at Zuko's head. Zuko swiftly dodged the attack, and as the man landed on his feet he closed in. The assassin turned towards him, but Zuko was already close enough for hand-to-hand combat. Bringing his elbow up, he slammed it into the side of the man's head, instantly stunning and dropping him.

With the immediate threat now dealt with, Zuko turned to look for Goro, and saw that one of his own firebenders were furiously trading attacks with the Sons of Sozin leader. He hurriedly went to join him, but before he had taken two steps he saw the guard take a blast directly to his chest and drop to the floor. The sight of the guard now laying on the floor further fueled Zuko's anger. He couldn't let the man kill any more people.

"Goro!"

The blue-armored assassin turned to face him. The helmet hid the man's expressions, but his voice was full of disdain and fury. "Fire Lord Zuko. I'm glad you came and found me. I'd like to repay you for what you did last time."

Zuko took his stance and held his hands in front of him, readying himself for a fight. "This time, Goro, you're not getting away."

"Not without killing you first," Goro sneered.

Goro brought his arm back and then snapped it towards Zuko, creating a fire whip as he completed the motion. Zuko rolled out of the way and quickly sprang back up. The blood was pounding in his veins, twisting with the fury that beckoned to be released. He didn't want to control it anymore; instead, he let it wash over him. With a new surge of energy, Zuko lunged forward and let loose a series of punches, his fire blasts growing larger with each one. Goro stood firm and blocked the first series of attacks, but was forced to turn and dodge them as they became bigger. He began answering Zuko's attacks with his own as the two of them began to circle each other. He was so completely focused on Goro and him alone, that it came as a surprise when he heard a woman's voice, one of his guards, yell at him.

"Fire Lord Zuko, behind you!"

Zuko turned and saw another assassin just a couple feet behind him, with the fire already springing to life from his outstretched hands. He raised his arm and dissipated the flames, but through his side vision he could see Goro and the other assassin both rushing towards him from opposite sides. Acting fast, Zuko twisted as he dropped down, seamlessly flowing into a spinning sweep kick. A large circle of fire sprang to life and rushed outwards, stopping both of his enemies in their tracks and throwing his newest opponent on his back. Zuko took a brief moment to look around for the guard that had warned him, but he saw that she was already facing off with another one of the Sons.

He was forced once again to focus on his own problems as Goro began to move. The other man threw several more blasts at him, this time directed at his feet, making it nearly impossible to block. Zuko leapt to the side and rolled out of the way, but he suddenly felt a flash of heat and pain along his left leg. He stumbled slightly as he got up again, and he risked taking his eyes off his opponent for a moment so that he could look at his leg. Right below his left knee, his pant leg was singed, exposing the burned area. Although it continued to send spasms of pain up his leg, it wasn't a life-threatening injury; he would just have to fight through it. Furious that he had let himself been hit in the first place, he stubbornly made himself push aside the pain and straighten up.

Gritting his teeth, Zuko widened his stance. He swiveled his whole body back then forward, creating a large fire whip that he used to angrily lash out at the blue-armored assassin. Goro answered with his own to block the attack, and just as the two streams met, a loud boom thundered throughout the room. The floor underneath them shook and bounced, throwing both of them off balance. Zuko recovered first, but whether it was due to all his years living on a turbulent ship or just from quick reflexes, he wasn't sure. He knew, however, that he had to take advantage of the moment. In a flash, Zuko made a second fire whip and struck out at his opponent's head. Goro's helmet absorbed some of the damage, but he immediately stiffened as the impact and the shock filtered down through the rest of his body. Goro woozily lifted his arm towards his head, but his legs then gave way, dropping him to the floor.

As Zuko approached his enemy, bits and pieces of the last few weeks came back to him in flashes: Goro and his assassins attacking him, Katara, and Suki in Harbor City, the attack on the night of his coronation—Katara, kneeling on the floor, wounded and bleeding. Like a once-slumbering beast, the rage inside of him was now fully awake and longing to strike out. Zuko slowly brought his hand up. This man had relentlessly hunted him, and nearly killed him and his friends. And it was because of the Sons of Sozin that he had sent Katara away. _He doesn't deserve mercy… he deserves to die._ His rage demanded it. Zuko was already gathering the fire in his palm when he saw the assassin stir.

Goro groaned and raised his arms to his head to clumsily grasp at his helmet. He managed to pull it off, but then closed his eyes as a convulsion shook his entire body. As Goro rolled onto his side, Zuko caught a glimpse of the man's face for the first time. The entire left side of his face was horribly scarred and burned, its flesh darkened and shriveled. Zuko sucked in a sharp breath. _I did that to him during our last fight. It looks just like my scar..._ He stared transfixed at the sight, unable to make himself move. _I scarred him, just like my father scarred me. Just like my father…_ The gravity of what he was about to do suddenly hit him like a punch in the gut. The fire above his palm disappeared and he hastily took a step back from the other man. _I was going to kill him…I_ wanted _to kill him._ Zuko shivered as the last remnants of his anger dwindled and died. _This is not the way…killing is not the answer._

"Fire Lord Zuko?"

The guard's voice startled Zuko. He had been so lost in his own world that he had almost forgotten that there were other people in the building beside himself and Goro. The guard seemed hesitant, and looked questioningly between Zuko and the man lying on the floor, as if unsure of Zuko's intentions. Zuko cleared his throat and addressed the guard, pointing to Goro. "Tie him up and take him in with the others immediately."

The guard bowed. "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko looked around and saw that the fighting had stopped. Sons of Sozin members were lying on the ground everywhere he looked, bound by wrists and watched over by several guards each. A few of his guards were hunched over or crouched, holding their injuries. He dearly hoped that there hadn't been any more casualties.

"Your Highness!"

Zuko turned to see Masato determinedly striding towards him, looking unharmed and very relieved. When he came up next to Zuko, he gave the younger man a quick look-over. "It's good to see you made it through all in one piece."

"Same for you, but what about the others? Did we lose anyone?"

Masato's expression turned grim. "There were four guards with my group that were killed, and several with injuries; though most of them look like they should get better with time."

Zuko swallowed hard and looked away. "I see." A thought suddenly occurred to him. "What about Toph and Liem? Have you seen them?"

"No, I haven't. I was hoping that they would be with you."

"I haven't seen them since the start." A tendril of worry and fear wormed its way into Zuko's stomach. "We have to find them."

Without another word, the two of them headed towards the center of the building where Toph had told them the tunnel was. Upon seeing the state of the room, Zuko's heart dropped. The entire back half of the floor was torn up, with large chunks sticking up here and there. A large section of it appeared to have collapsed; that was probably where the tunnel itself was. Zuko and Masato made their way to that area as quickly as the terrain allowed.

"Toph!" Zuko yelled at the top of his lungs. "Liem!" He scrambled over the area, trying to look for a large hole or open area where the two might be hidden. "Toph! Liem!"

"I'll go grab some of the others," Masato spoke up, "to help with the search."

Zuko merely nodded and then turned back to the scene in front of him. _That_ _explosion from before…it must have come from here. That means that Toph and Liem were caught up in it, whatever it was._ A feeling of horror came over him. _What if something happened to them? They could be trapped down there…or worse._ _I have to keep looking._

Zuko continued to yell their names as he frantically searched amongst the rubble. When he reached an area that seemed more sunken in than the rest, he started picking up rocks and debris and heaving it out of the way. He had only just begun when several other pairs of hands joined him in trying to clear the rubble. Soon, however, a strong hand gripped his shoulder. Zuko turned to see Masato behind him.

"I sent for an excavation team to come help out," he told Zuko, "of course, without any earthbenders to help us, it'll probably take several hours before they can make any progress through this mess." Masato frowned. "In the meantime, we have about two dozen Sons of Sozin members that need to be escorted back to the prison tower."

"Take as many men with you as you think is necessary to get the job done, Masato." Before he had spoken the last word, he had turned back to the task at hand.

"And what about you?"

"I'm going to stay here and keep searching for Toph and Liem."

"You'd be much safer at the palace, Your Highness. Some more assassins could show up at any minute."

"All the more reason for me to stay."

Masato leaned in closer, his voice a whisper so he couldn't be overheard. "Look, I'm worried sick about them too and want to stay and help…but we both have other responsibilities that we can't ignore. You _don't_ have to personally oversee this. The team will be here soon, and they will let us know as soon as they find out something."

"I can't leave, Masato." Zuko grunted as he picked up a larger boulder and hefted it to the side. "I need to be here."

"And what about Goro? Didn't you want to question him as soon as you got him into custody?"

"That can wait. Finding Toph and Liem is more important." He paused to give the other man a hard stare. "I'm staying."

Masato remained silent a moment before he finally answered. "Yes, Your Highness. I'll get the others together and escort the Sons up to the Prison Tower."

Zuko had already put Masato and the Sons of Sozin out of his mind. The only thing that filled his mind now were his two missing friends. Anxiety and fear had taken hold of him, eating a hole in stomach that was slowly spreading outwards. Zuko didn't even want to think about the possibility that the two of them might already be dead. He had to believe they were still alive. He had to.

* * *

 **Journal Entry -**

Suki knows.

I never meant for her to find out, but she did—last night.

It had started off like every other night. Aang thankfully hasn't minded letting me sleep right up next to Appa while the others sleep a little further away by the campfire. It's not just because I like Appa, and find his large, furry presence somewhat comforting, but also because he's the loudest sleeper out of our group…loud enough to cover my mumblings in any case.

The dreams often start off different. Sometimes I see him sitting on his bed, wounded from the Agni Kai with his sister, and after I heal his wound we share our first kiss. Other times we are in the middle of the ballroom again, with everyone looking at us as he holds me close and gracefully guides us across the floor. Often then it flashes to the balcony, where he kisses me…tells me how beautiful I am…and then when I tell him I want to stay at the palace, he reassures me that—that he-

Or… or sometimes we are at the Cave of Emerald Lights. I remember how magical it all feels, with the underground pool just full of glowing points of light. He takes me by the hand again, and leads me back to the front of the cave, where we lay close by the fire. The way he touches my skin, the feel of his lips against mine…spirits, the heat between us feels so real…it makes my entire body ache with it.

But no matter how they start, the dreams all end the same—always on that day I left the Fire Nation capital city. It's those same words, over and over again…with that **look** in his eyes and then he—he tells me its over, like its **nothing** —and it just tears me apart—and he just walks away— and I…I can't—

…. I always wake up then, tears already in my eyes. I'm afraid to wake the others…to let them see this side of me, so I start walking. Sometimes I'm not even quite sure where I'm going. If there's any pond or stream in the area, I usually end up there. I guess part of me feels the need to control the water around me, even if I don't necessary do anything with it, to counter the helplessness that I feel inside. And that was where Suki found me: ankle-deep in a small pond that I didn't even remember walking in to, blinded by all the tears that filled my eyes, and gasping for breath.

I panicked when I finally realized that she was there.

By the moonlight, I could see her eyes widen as I turned to her. She said my name, but I immediately put my back to her again and told her leave me be. She had caught me at a weak and vulnerable moment, and I hated that fact, even though I knew that she just wanted to help me. When I repeated it again, I could hear Suki step into the water and slosh towards me. She told me that she couldn't leave me like this as she laid her arm across my shoulder. When I remained quiet, she suggested we at least go sit on the banks of the little stream. I didn't put up much resistance.

Suki let me sit in silence for a while as I tried to regain some semblance of self control. It wasn't an easy task being so soon after the dreams, but Suki was patient and let me take me time. When I could breathe a little easier, I asked her if any of the others were awake as well, and she answered that everyone else was still asleep. She had been awake for a little while when she had heard me get up and walk off, so she had quietly followed after me to make sure I was okay. Even though I wasn't looking at Suki, I could practically feel her eyes on me. I already knew what she wanted to ask, but part of me still didn't want to talk about it. I tried to tell her that I was fine, but both of us knew that was a lie. Finally Suki spoke up again, and quietly asked me if this was about him—about Zuko. After a few moments spent finding my voice, I told her that it was.

Suki quickly explained that she had noticed how the two of us acted a little different towards each other since the Agni Kai; nothing too obvious, but she could pick up on the subtleties. At that point, I knew I had to tell her the rest. It was hard at first, forcing the words out, but Suki wasn't impatient or pushy at all (in fact, she seemed practiced at being a patient listener). I started with telling her about the Agni Kai—not just the one sentence, glossed-over version that I had also given Aang and Sokka at the time—but a detailed account of how Zuko had jumped in front of the lightning to save me, and had nearly died because of it. Though Suki didn't say anything during the retelling, I could tell by the little gasps she uttered now and then that she was amazed by what he had done.

Before I lost the nerve or changed my mind, I told her about what had happened in the days afterwards: the kisses we shared, the talks we had… there were several times where I had to stop; where the pain was so real and so acute that it literally squeezed the breath out of me. Each time it happened, Suki would gently rub my back or wrap her arm around my shoulders until the sobs eventually lessened, and I had recovered enough to talk again. The worst, though, was when I told her about the last conversation between him and me. I had hoped that with the passing of time, some of the hurt would have lessened, but I was wrong. The broken, empty feeling deep in the pit of my stomach was still there as I repeated the words he had so coldly spoken to me. Those same words have replayed in my mind hundreds of times, but I still can't understand them, no matter how hard I try. How you can just stop wanting to be with someone? After everything we had been through, how could he just throw that away…to act like it was nothing?

By the time I had finished, it wasn't just hurt that I was feeling, but anger as well. Suki sensed it too, but she softly insisted that part of what I had said wasn't true. Suki hastily explained that she had seen Zuko before we had left, and she could tell that he was deeply upset, though he had tried to hide it. It was clear to see that he still had feelings for me. Her statement only made me angrier, though, because none of that mattered to him. All he cared about now was running his country—he had said so himself.

Suki was silent for while. When she finally spoke up, she pointed out that if that really was the case, then why did he say she could stay on the night of his coronation? Something had happened after that point to change his mind, and that 'something' could only be the assassination attack that had seriously wounded me. Zuko was afraid for me and wanted to protect me, so he must have sent me away to keep me safe. He had sent everyone else away for the same reason, so it made sense to her that he would want me out of harm's way as well.

What she said made me hesitate—made me unsure of what to think. Suki, afterall, hadn't seen how he had acted that day: cold, unfeeling, and uncaring. She questioned me that if Zuko had merely asked me to leave, what would I have done? Without hesitating, I said that I would have stayed, which only proved her point further. Zuko had already shown, on the day of the Agni Kai, how far he was willing to go to protect me, so was the intent behind his actions that day really so hard to believe?

I was so astonished by the idea that I didn't know what to say. Had I been so blinded by my pain and anger that I couldn't see the real reason Zuko sent me away—to protect me? If that was true, then there was still the chance that he wanted to be together; there still was a chance for us… My heart pounded at the possibility, but a voice at the back of my mind said I was only fooling myself. What if Suki was wrong? What if he had still meant what he said about his responsibilities as the Fire Lord? I didn't know what to think.

Suki got up to leave, but before she did I begged her not to tell any of this to Sokka and Aang. I could tell she didn't like it, but she promised that she would keep it a secret. After another reassurance that I would be fine, she left and headed back to the camp. My thoughts were still racing too much, however, for me to go to sleep. With with the hurt still so fresh, I was afraid to commit my heart to something that was built just on possibilities. But Suki's words had given me a sliver of hope—and that was something I could hold on to.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry –**

We did it. We just reached Ba Sing Se today. The whole day has been a blur—taking Kuei to the royal palace and getting back together with all our friends and family in the Order of the White Lotus. I was so relieved that everyone was okay, and it made me realize just how much I had missed them all. Grandpa Pakku was so proud to hear of me and Sokka's actions over the last couple weeks; I had never seen him smile so much in one evening. Seeing Iroh again was hard for me, for while I loved spending time with the kind and caring elder, he constantly reminded me of Zuko. He was very happy and proud though, to hear how well Zuko had done, and even got a little teary-eyed at the end. I had to quickly move on before I caught up in the emotional cloud as well.

We all celebrated that night at Iroh's tea shop. It hadn't been hard at all, apparently, for Iroh to get the shop back (in fact, from what the rest of us heard, most of the inner ring citizens had practically begged him to open it back up). With all the great food and company, it nearly felt like home again. We did stay up pretty late though, and even now my quill is beginning to droop, so I think I'll call it a night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Journal Entry -**

I can't believe it. I had to come and write this down as soon as I heard it—I'm not even sure what to think about it—Kuei told us that they're going to hold a multinational treaty here in Ba Sing Se; a peace conference of sorts. All the nations and their leaders, along with the Avatar, will need to be here for it, which means… that means that Zuko will have to be here. I'll get to see him again.

I don't know what to think I mean, I probably shouldn't treat this as a big deal, right? I don't even know what he really thinks about us at this point. I'm probably just getting my hopes up but what if he feels the same way as I do still? I just… I can't-

I don't what to do. I've never been this confused.


	17. Discoveries and Desperate Measures

A pair of heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the empty corridor. Zuko noted the quick and determined pace at which they approached him, but he didn't look up. Most likely, it would be Masato. Right now, however, the only people he wanted to talk to were shut up in the room behind him—the room where both Toph and Liem were being attended to by the healers. They were all healers in the traditional sense, relying on herbs and medicine, not waterbending. The four women had assured him that they would do everything they could for his friends, but those words had been spoken some time ago, and the doors to the room hadn't opened one time since then.

"Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko stayed seated, his forehead still resting against his palms. "Yes, Masato?"

"I came as soon as I heard you had returned. Is Toph and Liem…?" The gruff voice trailed off as his concern became evident.

"They're inside." Zuko finally looked up and met the older man's gaze. "They were both hurt pretty bad…the healers are in there with them."

Masato didn't answer right away. "But at least you found them."

Turning away, a slight shiver ran down Zuko's spine as he remembered the scene from the tunnels. Despite his injury and exhaustion, he had stubbornly pushed on and kept digging, and was overwhelmed with relief when he had heard someone's voice calling out from beneath the rubble. But his relief was short-lived when he saw the condition of his two friends. Toph had started to make an earthen shield to protect the two of them from being crushed, but she hadn't finished it in time. Liem, whose voice was weak and hoarse from his prolonged cries for help, had insisted they take Toph out first. When Zuko picked the small girl up, he realized why: there was a large wet spot on the back of Toph's head, and when Zuko brought his hand up to the light he saw the red sheen that could only be her blood.

Once Toph had been carried out, Zuko and the other guards immediately focused their attention on Liem. When they had tried to gently move the large slab of earth that had pinned Liem's right arm, the boy had cried out in pain and kept yelling until he finally passed out moments later. Toph, meanwhile, had remained unconscious the entire time.

"It was a mistake." Zuko whispered, putting words to his thoughts. "I should have never let them go off by themselves. I knew how dangerous the Sons of Sozin were, but I let them go alone anyways."

"Toph and Liem knew what they were doing and what the risks were. They're tough kids."

 _I hope you're right, Masato._ The sound of the door opening next to him immediately snapped Zuko to attention. He tried to quickly stand up, but the burn wound on his left leg suddenly spasmed and ached, causing him to teeter slightly. Masato caught his arm and helped steady him, but not without giving him a sharp look.

"And have _you_ seen the healers recently?"

"It's nothing, Masato. I'm fine."

"Yeah, I can see that by the way you nearly fell flat on your face." Masato motioned for the healer that had just come out of the room to come closer. "The Fire Lord has been injured. I need someone to see to it immediately."

The woman bowed at Masato's request, but Zuko interjected. "No. I can wait. Toph and Liem are more important right now." He looked at the healer hopefully. "Did you have any news about my friends?"

"Yes, Your Highness." She appeared a little apprehensive. "The boy had some severe burns across his back and arms that we will need to treat for next several days. His right arm was also injured, though I do not believe it was broken. He will still have to refrain from using it for the next couple weeks. We gave him some medicine to help with the pain and to help him rest."

Part of Zuko felt relieved, but he couldn't relax yet. "And Toph?"

"The girl had fewer injuries than the boy. We sewed up the large cut on the back of her head and gave her something for the nausea and dizziness. Other than the nasty bump on the back of her head, she just had some minor burns and cuts."

"Is she awake?"

She nodded. "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko. You can speak to her now if you wish, but it needs to be kept short."

"I will." Masato opened his mouth to protest, but Zuko beat him to it. "And then, I'll have someone look at my leg."

With Masato mollified, Zuko headed towards the open door and into the room. The other healers were filing out now, leaving him alone except for his two friends lying on beds on different sides of the room. Not wanting to wake up Liem, he slowly walked towards Toph's bed. As he gazed as the small figure lying on its white sheets, he thought about what they had been through together in such a short time. He hesitated at first, but he moved his hand to hover above hers. After another pause, he grasped her open hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. _Thank you Toph, for everything. You've been what I've needed most right now…a true friend._ A quiet voice then broke through his thoughts.

"You're not going all soft and mushy on me, are you Sparky?"

Zuko looked up to see a small, wry smile appear on the earthbender's lips. He smiled. It was good to see that her sense of humor was intact. "I'm just glad to see that you're awake. You had me worried for a little bit."

"You're _always_ worrying about something," Toph softly replied. "But you should know by now that I'm a lot tougher than that."

 _But that doesn't mean you're invincible._ Instead of voicing his thought out loud, he asked her. "So how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I've definitely had a lot worse." She took a deep breath before she continued. "What about Liem?"

Zuko looked at their clasped hands. "He's going to have to stay here with the healers for a little while for some more care, but he's going to be okay."

He felt her grip on his hand tighten before letting go. "Good." Toph sounded relieved. "Everything went down so fast... I wasn't sure what had happened to him."

"Toph," Zuko swallowed hard. "I just wanted to say that I… I'm-"

"Don't, Zuko." Her words stopped him in his tracks. "I already know what you're going to say, but you don't need to." Even as tired as she was, she still managed to give him that no-nonsense stare. "It was our choice, not yours. Got it?"

"Got it," he answered reluctantly. The corner of his mouth tugged up into a smile. "How do you manage to make me feel like that I'm answering to you, and not the other way around?"

"Just part of the skills, Sparky."

He shook his head ruefully. "Speaking of…what exactly happened down there in the first place?"

She grimaced. "When we went down in the tunnels, we found three Sons of Sozin members trying to escape. We blocked them off and confronted them, but one of the men threw something at us. Whatever it was, it exploded and collapsed the tunnel on top of us." Toph hesitated. "Did you find anyone else down there?"

He shook his head. "Not yet, but we didn't finish searching through all of the rubble yet." Toph abruptly looked away. She blinked her eyes several times, almost as if she was trying to fight off some tears. He put a hand on her arm. "What is it, Toph?"

She stared off into the distance. "I used my earthbending on two of the men's legs so that they couldn't move. That means when the tunnel collapsed-" She abruptly stopped and took a deep breath, and when she spoke again her words were barely a whisper. "They never had a chance to escape."

"We don't know that yet, Toph." There was a slight sadness to her expression. He hoped that she wasn't blaming herself. "All three men attacked you and Liem, didn't they?" When she nodded, he continued. "Then you know that what happened down there wasn't your fault, Toph. You were just defending yourself."

"I know that." A hint of anger and disbelief entered her voice. "It was that man. He saw that I had captured the other two, and that they wouldn't be able to move. But he still did it. He brought that whole tunnel down, knowing that his own men would probably be killed in the process." Her fist next to him curled up into a fist. "He didn't care whether or not they lived or died."

"Who was this man?"

"I don't know, but Liem seemed to recognize him. He said something about he had seen him at the Weeping Merchant Inn, and that he thought he was Goro's boss. We got interrupted before he could say anything else, though."

"Goro's boss?" Zuko had been pretty sure that Goro himself hadn't been the Son's leader, but it was still a little disheartening to hear that whoever was pulling the organization's strings could still be out there. He needed to make sure that the excavation team checked the entire area. He patted Toph's arm. "Make sure you get some rest in, alright?" He then gestured towards Liem. "And keep an eye on the kid for me, okay? I need to make sure he stays in one place for a while." Hopefully, telling Toph she needed to watch Liem would also keep her here longer, where it was safer.

She smirked. "He won't like that at all…but I'll make sure it happens—one way or another."

"Thanks, Toph." The two of them shared another smile before Zuko turn and walked out of the room. He didn't get too far, though, before he was stopped by Masato and the healer. He sat and let the healer tend to the burn on his leg while Masato filled him in on their new captives.

"We captured thirty-three of the Sons of Sozin members—all men that look no younger than eighteen or older than thirty-five. They're all in the prison tower now, under heavy guard." He crossed his large arms together. "I tried to get Goro to talk, but he never uttered so much as a single word…and the others are the same as him. They're a pretty hard bunch."

Zuko raked a hand through his hair in frustration. "We have to get Goro to talk. We need to know more about how they work, and who's in charge."

There was a hard glint to Masato's eyes. "I have an idea on how to make them talk."

Zuko frowned, but the healer spoke up before him and stood up. "Fire Lord Zuko, it's done. Another healer will come see you tonight and change the bandage before you go to sleep. In a few days, it should be well enough to go without bandages."

"Alright, thank you." The woman bowed and walked off just as Kenshin hurriedly approached Zuko and Masato.

"Fire Lord Zuko." As usual, there was a stack of papers in Kenshin's hands, which he precariously balanced as he gave a hasty bow. "I was just told you got back. I would have come sooner, but I was talking with General Ichiro-"

"Ichiro's back?" Zuko asked apprehensively. He had sent Ichiro out a couple weeks ago to apprehend and bring back the fugitive General Bujing. While he had expected the trip to take a long time, every day that had passed had made Zuko a little more nervous at its outcome. "Did he have General Bujing with him?"

"Yes, Your Highness. They are taking him to the prison tower as we speak."

Zuko let out a sigh of relief. "And his men?"

"They all surrendered as well. They are being escorted to the capital prison at the southern end of city."

"What?" Zuko nearly shouted, causing Kenshin to jump in surprise. He immediate lowered his voice again. "Why are those men being put straight into jail?"

The small man began to fidget nervously. "Well, General Ichiro ordered that all of Bujing's men be taken there on the grounds that they were to be charged with treason." He stood up a little straighter. "I told General Ichiro that we should wait and talk to you about it first, but he insisted that he was merely following the law." Kenshin looked away for a moment, a slight flush of embarrassment coming to his cheeks. "And he also reminded me that, with you being absent, he was the highest ranking officer present, and I didn't have the authority to countermand his orders anyways."

"He said that?" Zuko felt a little angry at hearing his secretary's words, but he reminded himself that Ichiro was just trying to do what he thought was necessary. The man had brought his former superior commander back to the capital at Zuko's request, after all. "While Ichiro's intentions are honorable, I don't appreciate him making decisions on my behalf. Bujing's men should get the same chance that the generals did—if they want to swear loyalty to me, they are to be released back into service; if they refuse, they are to be discharged from the military."

Masato gave a heavy sigh. "I never thought I'd say this, but for once I have to agree with the general. These men purposely fled the city as part of an armed resistance against you, and you just want to welcome them back with open arms?"

"Those men were just following orders, Masato." Zuko tried to remain patient, and help the other man to understand why this was so important to him. "They shouldn't be punished for one man's decision. They deserve a second chance, just like everyone else."

"And if they don't want to cooperate?"

"If they resist or commit a crime, then I expect us to carry out the law as we would with any other citizen. But they need to be given a choice, and a chance for a new start, first and foremost."

Masato stayed silent until he finally let out a large breath. "I've been working the prisons so long…I guess it's easier to see the harm that people might do, instead of the potential good. It's a different way of looking at things."

Zuko slowly stood up. "All I ask is that you keep an open mind, Masato."

"Yes, Your Highness." A grim smile then appeared on the other man's face. "This time, I'm actually looking forward to seeing Ichiro and the look on his face when he finds out about Bujing's men. I don't think he'll be too happy about it."

"We don't have time for that," Zuko informed him. "You're just going to have to pass along the message to him. I need you and Kenshin with me to talk to Goro."

Kenshin looked surprised. "You want me to come with you, Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Of course, Kenshin. You know more about the workings of the palace and its politics than either Masato or I do."

Masato's eyebrows drew down into a scowl. "That's assuming that Goro talks. No offense, Zuko, but he's not going to start talking just because you ask him nicely."

Though he didn't say it outright, Zuko knew what the other man was getting at. "I'm not condoning abuse or torture of any kind, Masato. For any reason."

"I've seen his type before, time and time again. The only way he's going to tell any of his secrets is to-"

Zuko interrupted the larger man, his voice hard. "-And I already said no, Masato."

"Um, Your Highness?" Both men abruptly turned to Kenshin, who had tentatively held his hand up in the air, to try to get their attention. He hastily lowered his hand and cleared his throat. "I don't think any of that will be necessary."

"And why is that?"

"Well, you see, there's another way we get Goro to talk to us, willingly."

"Oh, really?" Masato looked at him skeptically. "This ought to be good."

Zuko was intrigued, to say the least. "Please explain, Kenshin."

His secretary nodded. "As I've told you before, I used to work under Daichi, who was the secretary under your father. During that time, I was exposed to some of Daichi's 'methods' of conducting business for Ozai. Daichi was not, by any means, a man of moral integrity; however, he was very smart and extremely knowledgeable in regards to many subjects, not just business. One of his areas of expertise was, surprisingly, in herbal medicines. There were times where Daichi had me come with him when he needed to question an individual, so that I could record the entire conversation. In a few instances where a subject wouldn't cooperate, he would mix together certain herbs and put them in a tea for the person to drink. After they drank it, Daichi would wait a few minutes, and then begin to question them. They would always cooperate and tell him whatever he wanted to know—that is, until the effects wore off."

"That's amazing." Zuko looked at him questioningly. "But why haven't I heard about it before?"

Masato frowned. "And if it works so well, why isn't it used more often?"

"For several reasons…the first being that it is a very complex recipe, and if it's not followed with extreme precision, the concoction won't work. In fact, any slight deviation in the recipe will often result in disastrous consequences—in some cases, even death. Then there is the fact that several of the ingredients are expensive and difficult to find, especially in large quantities, and some of which can only grow in parts of the Earth Kingdom. Ozai had once looked into trying to produce this 'truth elixir' for regular use, but found it more work than he deemed was worth it."

"I see." Both he and Masato shared an incredulous look before they refocused their attention back on Kenshin. "But I guess you wouldn't have mentioned this elixir unless you had access to some of it and knew it was properly made?"

"Of course, Your Highness. It just so happens that the other day, when I was going through some of Daichi's old belongings, I found a bottle that had been carefully preserved and wrapped up. Daichi's elixir had a very unique look to it; as soon I saw it, I knew what it was. It's ready to use whenever you need it."

Zuko closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead in frustration. _What choice do I have? I have to find out more about the Sons of Sozin, and Goro is the only lead I have. I have to end this as quickly as possible._ Sighing, Zuko opened his eyes and glanced at Kenshin. "Alright, Kenshin, we'll try it your way. Grab Daichi's concoction and meet me and Masato at the prison tower."

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko." With a bow, Kenshin turned and quickly headed back down the hallway, leaving Masato and Zuko to themselves.

He didn't have to look over to guess what kind of stare Masato was directing at him. "I hope you know what you're doing, Your Highness."

Zuko started down the hallway. "I hope so too."

Soon enough, the three of them were once again standing together in the hallway, except for this time the scenery was much different. The grey stone walls and floors of the prison tower seemed to stretch on indefinitely, impressing upon each of its inhabitants the cold and unyielding nature of their environment. The sun's rays never reached into this part of the fortress—the only light given was by the fire of the scattered torches along the walls. Zuko had once again changed into the proper robes of the Fire Lord. He wasn't exactly sure how this potion of Kenshin worked, but he wanted to appear as impressive and intimidating as possible—anything to get Goro to talk.

Masato skeptically eyed the small man up and down. "So, did you bring this 'magic' concoction of yours?"

Kenshin pulled a small vial from his pouch and held it in his hand. "Right here."

Zuko took a deep breath. "Alright, let's do this."

Pulling out a set of keys, Masato unlocked the heavy door in front of them and swung it open. The room was dark, so Zuko created a small flame in his hand as he entered the room. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw something in the middle of the small, dark space. Goro was sitting on a chair with his arms pulled back and secured behind him, still in his blue armor, but without his helmet. The scar was there, as red and angry as ever, but Zuko put that line of thought out of his mind.

The assassin blinked several times, trying to adjust to sudden light source, but once his eyes focused on Zuko, his lips curled back into a snarl. He remained silent, however. Seeing an unlit torch on the wall, Zuko flicked his hand and sent the ball of flame towards it, giving the room a more permanent light. He then turned to his secretary. "Kenshin?"

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko." Kenshin tentatively took a few steps towards the prisoner. When Goro turned his glare on Kenshin, he suddenly flinched and stopped, as if unsure to continue.

Masato snorted. "Kenshin, the man's not going anywhere. Both his arms and legs are secured. The only thing he could move right now is that steel clamp of a mouth."

Kenshin still didn't move. "I know, and that's what worries me."

"What, you afraid he's going to give you a big 'ol kiss?"

"No! Of course not, you overgrown oaf." His words came out in a furious hiss as he glared up at the larger man. "I am, however, a little worried about keeping all my fingers intact."

"Better be quick, then."

"Masato…" Zuko warned the other man, who rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll lend him a hand."

Without hesitation, Masato went to the seated figure, put a fist in Goro's hair and roughly yanked his head backward. Masato's whole demeanor then suddenly changed, transforming into something much more sinister.

"What are you-" Goro started to say, but Masato's large hand came up and grabbed his chin, preventing him from uttering another word. Leaning down so that faces were mere inches apart, Masato started talking, his voice a low and menacing whisper.

"You listen to me, Goro, as if your life depended on it—because it does." Zuko had never seen this side of Masato before, and he had to admit, it was a little intimidating. The muscles in Masato's large arms flexed as he held Goro in his grip. "You killed eight of my men—good men with families that were each worth ten of you—and one that you killed with your own hands. If it were up to me, I'd have you strung up in this room, begging for mercy and for me to grant you a quick death. But Fire Lord Zuko here wants to give you chance to do this the easy way, so here's what we're going to do: my buddy Kenshin here is going to give you something to drink to help relax that tongue of yours. Then once the effects kick in, you're going to start telling us everything about you and your little friends." Masato tightened the grip on Goro's hair and pulled his head back even further as a small, humorless smile twisted his lips. "If you choose not to cooperate and drink the potion, then the Fire Lord and my buddy Kenshin are going to leave…and then you and I are going to have a nice, long 'talk'. One that I promise you'll regret for the rest of your short and miserable existence. Either way, you are going to talk…but how pleasurable that experience is going to be will be entirely dependent on you. Got it?"

Goro didn't try to move or resist, but instead glared daggers at the man above him. Masato met the man's stare, glare for glare. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." He turned to Kenshin. "Bring it here."

Kenshin hurriedly came up next to the pair and took the stopper out of the small bottle. Still keeping one of his hands on Goro's chin, Masato moved his other hand to Goro's nose and pinched it, preventing any air flow. Goro gasped and tried to lurch forward, but Masato held him firmly in place. He kept Goro's mouth open. "Now, Kenshin. Pour it in."

The small man fidgeted. "Are you sure-"

"Just do it!" Masato barked, immediately spurring Kenshin to action. He quickly poured the entire bottle into Goro's mouth. With Masato's help, their prisoner swallowed the entire thing down. Once it was done, Masato let go of the man and stepped back towards Zuko.

Zuko glanced at his secretary. "How long until it starts taking effect?"

"It will kick in shortly. It's a very fast acting potion. However, that also means that the effects will wear off quickly as well."

"Then I guess we need to make sure to ask the right questions."

Their prisoner glared at all three of them equally now, but still remained silent. Zuko was turning to ask Kenshin another question when he noticed Goro give an abrupt shake of his head, as if trying to shake something off. He stilled once more, but within a few moments he repeated the motion again. With a grunt, Goro twisted and strained against the bonds on his arms and legs, but it was a futile effort.

Zuko felt a little uneasy at the sight. "What is he doing?"

Kenshin quickly answered him. "He's trying to fight off the effects of the elixir, but it's only going to get more intense for him. It shouldn't be long now."

As if on cue, Goro suddenly stopped struggling, and dropped his head to his chest. He remained still, except for the slow rise and fall of his chest from his breathing.

"I would go ahead and ask something simple first," Kenshin suggested, "something that we know if he was lying."

"Alright." Zuko stepped closer to the seated figure, and raised his voice. "What's your name?"

The other man didn't move or look up. Goro stayed silent, so Zuko asked him again. "I know you can hear me. I want you to tell me your name."

When Goro didn't answer, Masato stepped forward, but Zuko held his hand out and motioned for him to stop. Perhaps they just needed more time—

"My name is Goro." The man's was quiet and strained, as if he was trying to resist the urge to talk.

"Good. Now, tell me the name of the organization you serve."

"The Sons of Sozin."

"Where were you this morning?"

Goro slowly lifted his head and looked up at Zuko. His eyes almost had a glassy quality to them, but Zuko could still see the hatred there beneath the effects of the potion. "I was with the others in the western hideout in Harbor City. Then you and your men came and took us here."

"Well," Masato spoke up, "it seems to be legit so far."

Zuko pressed onward. "Are there more of your hideouts here in the capital?"

"The Sons have one in each city. The one in Harbor City you now know of—the other is here in the capital."

He tried to keep his voice level. "Where is it? Give us as many details as you can."

"It's on the western side on the city, right next to the crater wall. It's two blocks north of the marketplace there, in a building that all grey stone, except for the red roof and door."

"Are any of the Sons staying there right now?"

"Many come and go because of assignments, but there are usually anywhere from twenty to thirty men that live there."

Stepping closer, Masato addressed Goro. "Where is the Sons' headquarters? Where are the rest of your men at?"

"It's under the city." Though Goro's expression was mostly blank, the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly, as if he was trying to smile. "You won't be able to get to it, though. There are miles and miles of tunnels that run all over the city, and we control most of it."

Zuko gritted his teeth in anger. "We'll see about that. Where exactly is it located?"

"Towards the center of the city, just east of the Royal Palace."

"But to the east is Caldera Lake…" Zuko replied in disbelief. "It's underneath the water?"

"Yes. Those sections had been abandoned by the Fire Lord and their sages for many generations. They are still very useable…and quite comfortable too."

"Your Highness," Kenshin warned, "We need to go faster. Time is against us."

Zuko took a deep breath. "Goro, who hired your group to come after me and my friends?"

The other man tilted his head to the side a little, as if a little confused. "I don't know. I was never told his name. I'm not the one who discusses business with our clients. I'm told who the targets are, and then I direct my men to find them and get rid of them."

Inwardly, Zuko cursed, though the answer didn't necessary surprise him. This organization gave new meaning to term 'secret society'. "Alright, then who in the Sons of Sozin told you that I was a target?"

Goro's face twisted in concentration as he remained silent. The fact that he was trying so hard not to answer told Zuko that he was on the right track—it must be someone very important. He asked again, this time making his words very slow and deliberate, but forceful. "Goro, tell me the name of the man that told you to hunt me down."

Goro's eyes squeezed shut. His voice was barely more than a whisper. "Setsuko." He opened his eyes and let out a forceful breath. "His name is Setsuko. He is the one that always talks to potential clients, and takes their payments. If Setsuko tells us to go after a person, we don't hesitate or question it."

 _That has to be the man that Toph and Liem were referring to. But there's got to be more than this. There has to be some way to find out who this person is._ Zuko frantically tried to rack his brain for ideas and questions. "Did Setsuko ever say anything about the client who hired you to come after me or did you know where he met them at?"

"He always meets clients at one of the inns in the city. This one in particular he met at The Crescent's Gleam here in the capital. I know because I was there with him as an escort."

"Then you've seen him!" Zuko couldn't help but feel elated at the news. _Finally, I can find out who's behind this._ "Describe to me what he looks like…what he wore…anything about him you can remember."

"I don't know because he wore a hood that covered his face." Zuko's shoulders slumped at the news, but Goro continued. "He was very secretive, this one, almost on the point of paranoid. He never said his name out loud, at least not where I could hear it. At one point, I did hear Setsuko address him as 'General', but nothing else."

"Well," Kenshin muttered softly, "there's more proof that one of generals on the council is behind this."

Luckily Goro didn't seem to hear this, and continued on. "There was a man with him—his assistant or something. I heard his name once."

Zuko leaned forward. "What was it?"

"Yoshiro. He wore a hood as well, but I could tell by his voice that he was younger, and much thinner. They didn't stay for very long."

"So this Setsuko," Zuko asked, "He is the leader of the Sons of Sozin?"

This time, Goro's lips spread into a large smile, one that showed several teeth. Its implications sent a tendril of worry through Zuko's thoughts. The potion must be wearing off. "Why do you ask, Fire Lord Zuko? Do you hope that by getting rid of one man, you might destroy the Sons of Sozin?"

"If that's what it takes, then I'll see it done."

"Ah, but the Sons are bigger than just one man. If you cut one of us down, another will take his place—and another after that—down to the last man."

Zuko's response came out as a growl. "Then I guess I'll make sure to find every last one of you…starting with Setsuko."

"You've actually already met him." Goro answered smugly. "He was right under your nose, and you never realized it."

His words took Zuko by surprise. He thought back to all the times he had come in contact with the Sons of Sozin—all the way back to the first attack, and then it came to him. "Setsuko was there during the first attack, wasn't he?"

Goro gave a slight chuckle. "Very good, Fire Lord Zuko. Yes, he was there at the end. You should take it as a compliment. Setsuko almost never participates in assassinations. You though, were a very special target, and we thought it would be a quick fight." A malicious grin appeared on his lips. "But it's of no consequence. If you do ever meet him again, Your Highness, rest assured that it will be entirely at his choosing, and not yours."

The comment set his teeth on edge. "Where is Setsuko now?"

But Goro shook his head. "I think we've talked enough about me, Your Highness. Perhaps now we could talk about you." He flashed another toothy grin. "Like, for instance, how many guards you have to have around your room at night before you can finally go to sleep. I wonder…do you dream about the ones who've died trying to protect you?"

Masato lunged towards the seated man. "Why you filthy bastard-"

"No!" Zuko quickly placed himself in front of the large man. "He's just trying to rile us now. We've got all the information we can out of him. Let's go."

Masato glared at the man for a moment longer before finally breaking eye contact. With a final nod, he turned towards to the door, and Kenshin and Zuko did the same.

"By the way, Fire Lord Zuko-" Goro started talking again, but Zuko ignored him and kept walking. "It's too bad you sent the water tribe girl away." Zuko immediately froze. "She was particularly fun to plan for—I mean, we so rarely get to target waterbenders, much less a healer, at that."

Something very strong grabbed a hold on his arm, and wasn't until he looked down at Masato's hand that he realized that he was struggling to get at Goro. It was hard to fight down the rage when Katara's face kept filling his vision.

"Zuko, let it go," Masato told him gently. "You said it yourself, he's just trying to rile us up." He leaned in closer to him and lowered his voice, so only Zuko could hear him. "Katara is safe now. The Sons can't hurt her anymore."

Squeezing his eyes shut, Zuko took a ragged breath. "You're right." He opened his eyes and quickly turned back to the door. He wasn't sure if Goro said anything further, because Zuko had already blocked him out. As he strode past the other two and out into the hallway, he felt some slight dampness on his cheek, but he ignored it. He had paid a heavy price to keep his promise…but knowing she was out there right now, safe and sound, was the one thing that kept him going.

* * *

Katara idly watched the people passing in front of the old shop through one of its dusty windows. The streets of the Lower Ring were bustling with activity, and her gaze would wander from one person to another as they carried out their daily routines. One after another after another they came…an older man carrying a sack over his shoulder, a pair of children chasing each other through the crowd…it was amazing how many people there were in the capital city. A moment later, her eyes swiveled to a young couple that strode hand in hand as they walked alongside the store. When they were only a few feet from her window, they suddenly slowed as the young man leaned over and whispered something into the girl's ear. Whatever it was seemed to have pleased the girl, because she instantly smiled. The two leaned in close and shared a short, sweet kiss before they finally headed back down the street.

Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, Katara quickly turned back around and intently studied the shop around her. Suki was standing just a few feet away, examining one of the jars that sat on a shelf in front of her. The small, one-room building was packed with shelves that were full of glass jars, and each jar contained bundles of some kind of plant or flower. The one that Suki was admiring had a beautiful, pristine white and red lily in it. When Katara walked over to her friend, Suki turned to her with a smile.

"This same flower grew right outside of my village every spring." She looked admiringly at the flower again. "I used to pick them when I was a little girl. Every day, I would put one in a vase and place it in a different spot in the house." A very small laugh escaped her. "In fact, I did it so often that my dad started to joke that I should have been named 'Lily' instead of 'Suki'."

Katara couldn't help but ask, "What did your mother think of that?"

"She didn't think it was nearly as funny as the two of us made it out to be." Suki smiled wistfully. "It does make me homesick, thinking about the two of them. I hope I can go visit my village again soon. It's been too long."

Katara grabbed her friend's hand. "Believe me, I know the feeling. I'm sure it won't be too much longer."

A noise at the back of the shop made them both turn. They saw an elderly woman with stark, white hair appear with a small jar in her hands. She slowly made her way over to a nearby table, where she placed the jar. "Here is the chrysanthemum you requested."

"Thank you, Madam Li-ying." Katara began to pull some coins out of her pouch as she came over to the table.

The older woman gave her a very grandmotherly smile. "Just call me Li-ying, dear." She then shook her head when Katara tried to hand her the coins. "And you can keep your money. There's no charge."

"But Li-ying, I couldn't take this without giving you something in return."

A mischievous twinkle entered the other woman's eyes. "Then you can do me a favor. When you take this to Iroh, tell him that he owes me a visit…and a very _special_ cup of tea." Li-ying winked at Katara, and chuckled when she saw the young woman blush in front of her. "Now, I know you two girls probably want to shop some more, so don't let an old woman's ramblings keep you."

Suki giggled. "We'll pass the message along. Thank you again, Li-ying."

Katara uttered her thanks as well, and then the two of them stepped out onto the bustling street. She glanced at her friend. "Well, where should we go to now?"

"I'd like to see this other shop a little further down…then we should probably be heading back to the palace."

"You're probably right," Katara replied somberly.

It was the first time in days that either one of them had really taken a chance to relax and have some time for themselves. Ever since they had arrived in Ba Sing Se, their group had been going non-stop to help the city and citizens get back to some kind of normalcy. Even though the Fire Nation's rule here had been short lived, it had caused an incredible amount of damage—both to its physical structures and to its people. One of the most important tasks had been helping those imprisoned in Lake Laogai. The number of people who had been imprisoned in the underground system was staggering, and they were still trying to help people recently released in finding their homes and family. Though it was tiring work—she literally would go straight to her room every night and fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow—it still felt good to have a purpose again, and to be helping people.

Katara and Suki made sure to stay close together as they started to make their way through the crowded street. They were about halfway to their destination when someone suddenly pushed Katara from behind. "Hey!" She yelled as she turned to face whoever had been rude enough to run into her. She was about to say some more choice words when she looked down and saw a small boy—probably no more than five or six years old—lying on the ground, his green eyes looking up at her in surprise. Katara's irritation immediately vanished, and she bent over and held out a hand to him, to help him up. The boy had originally shrank back in fear, but as Katara continued to offer him her hand he finally grabbed it and let her pull him up.

"Are you okay?" Katara gently asked him. He still appeared very nervous, despite her attempts to soothe him.

"Sorry…" he said as he started to scoot away from them, "I gotta go-"

"No, you don't!" A deep voice boomed right next to them. A large, somewhat heavyset man suddenly appeared right behind the small boy and roughly grabbed him by the arm. "Gotcha!"

"Let me go!" the young boy yelled as Katara and Suki stepped up to the pair. "Hey!" Katara glared at the man. "Stop that, you're hurting him."

The man's dark eyes finally swiveled to Katara and Suki, but he made sure to keep a firm grip on the boy still. He obviously didn't see them as any kind of threat. "This is none of your business. It's between me and the boy."

Suki met the man's stare. "Well, we're making it our business now. Let him go and explain yourself."

His frown deepened. "I think it's time for you little girls to run on home now, before I really get angry."

"Is that so?" Katara asked as she swiftly opened the water canteen at her side and pulled a little water into the air in front of her. At the same time, Suki took up a fighting stance right beside her. Katara put a hard edge to her words. "Perhaps you should take your own advice. Now, step away from the boy."

She felt a slight hint of satisfaction at seeing the shock on the man's face. He quickly released his grip on the boy's arm and stepped away. His tone became very defensive. "That little brat stole from me! I'm not leaving until I get my merchandise back."

"Is that true?" Katara asked the boy. During the exchange, he had quickly put himself behind the girls. Now when both of them abruptly turned to him, he became very nervous again.

"No! I didn't steal anything." As the boy spoke, however, he seemed to clutch the pockets of his jacket closer to him. He seemed afraid again, and was slowly trying to back up away from them.

Katara knelt down and tried to reassure him. "It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. We just want to help."

"He's a thief and a liar!" The man yelled from behind them. "You should be taking him to the city guard, not trying to baby him."

"No!" The boy looked frantically at Katara, his eyes filling with fear and panic. "Don't let them take me away. My sister…I have to go back to her."

"No one is taking you anywhere you don't want to go," Suki quickly replied. "I promise." She then smiled. "My name Suki, and this is Katara. What's your name?"

"It's Kai." The boy answered tentatively. Although he had calmed down considerably, he still seemed very anxious, and wary.

"Kai, we do want to help you, but you have to tell us the truth. Did you steal something from this man?"

Kai's lip twisted, and when he gazed up at Suki, he nodded. "I did…but it was really small. And it's for my sister!"

"Kai, I understand it's for your sister, but that still doesn't make it okay to steal." Suki opened up her hand and held it out to him, palm up. "You need to give it back."

Kai hesitated, clutching at his pocket. When he looked over at Katara she nodded and pointed at Suki's hand. The boy's face drooped at the gesture, but he finally dug into his pocket and then placed something in her hand. It was a small hair comb, with a green and pink butterfly on its corner. Katara watched the boy stare longingly at the piece, and noticed a few tears gathering at the corner of the boy's eyes. The sight of it stirred something within her, and she abruptly turned to the silent, sulking man.

"I want to buy it from you."

"You want to what?" he asked her, so she repeated herself. "I want to buy the hair comb from you. How much is it?"

"That thing? …it's six silvers."

Suki folded her arms. "That's a pretty outrageous for something so small. And you were just accusing the boy of lying…"

"Alright, alright." The man gruffly replied. "It's two silver pieces, but I-"

"Done!" Katara exclaimed. She quickly grabbed the coins out of her purse and dropped them into the merchant's hand before he could finish his sentence. "Well I-" He watched Katara put the comb in her pouch, and suddenly straightened up. "Regardless, the boy is still a thief, and shouldn't be left to just roam the streets. You let him loose and he'll be back to stealing again in no time."

"I'm not a thief!" Kai loudly protested, but Katara quickly spoke up. "I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding. Regardless, we'll make sure to take him straight home."

"That's if he even has one." The gruff man muttered, but still loud enough to be heard. When Suki gave him a sharp glare and crossed her arms, the merchant huffed. "Fine. He's been more trouble than it worth anyways." With one last pointed look at the boy, the merchant turned and headed back down the street. The flow of people around them began to move once again.

Katara noticed Kai regretfully staring at the pouch at her waist, even though the comb was hidden inside it. "The comb really is for your sister, isn't it?"

He nodded. "I wanted to get her something to cheer her up, but I didn't have any money. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to cause any trouble." He stared at Suki and Katara hesitantly. "Did you mean what you said? You're really not going to turn me in?"

"What we're going to do is take you straight home—once you tell us where that is."

"Well…" The boy blushed and looked down at his feet. "I don't really have a home anymore. Me and my sister stay at the cottage—it's the big building that's close to here."

Suki and Katara shared a quizzical glance at each other. "Does anyone else live in this big building with you two?" Suki asked him.

"Yeah, a bunch of people. It's where you go for help. They're really nice there…like you guys."

"Could you show us where this place is, Kai?"

"Sure thing, just follow me."

The young boy quickly set off down the street, with Katara and Suki right behind him. They only went down a few buildings before they turned off down a side street. Before too long they were walking up to a large, two-story structure that was three or four times as wide and long as the houses all around it. Katara was just wondering why it would need to house a lot of people when she noticed two banners hanging on each side of its front entrance. One was the circular symbol of Ba Sing Se itself, and the other was a symbol of two people's hands clasped together—one of the universal symbols for healing.

"There are healers here…" Katara said out loud, a little astonished by that fact.

"There are?" Suki glanced at Katara, but it was Kai that answer. "Yup, there are three, but Mistress Samira said there used to be more." Kai's tone turned very sad, and he suddenly started studying his feet as he walked. "That's why me and my sister are here…to see if Mistress Samira can help her."

Katara stopped their little group before they walked into the door. "Your sister is sick?"

"Yeah, she gets sick a lot. She got really bad again last night. Su-Lyn gave her some medicine this morning, but she still looks sick and she hasn't woken up yet." His green eyes were moist when he looked up at Katara. "I thought if I brought something pretty to her, she would wake up and feel better."

She put a hand on his shoulder and then knelt in front of him. Gently brushing his dark hair from his face, she smiled as she meet his gaze. "Well, Kai, it just so happens that I'm a healer too. Maybe if I see your sister, I could try to help."

"You would?" When Katara nodded, Kia immediately brightened. "She's on the first floor. Here, let me show you-" He quickly grabbed her hand and proceeded to lead her into the large building. The first room was small, and mostly filled with bedding and other storage items except for the lone table and its one occupant; the elderly man was bent over, examining the Pai Sho board in front of him so intently that he never even looked up as the three of them passed by him. Kai then led them into a very long hallway that had several doors on either side of it. The little boy, still pulling Katara behind him, took them to one of the doors in the middle and silently ushered them in.

It was a cramped room; one that was in good condition, but didn't have any decorations or many furnishings except for the dozen cots that lined both sides of the room in two neat rows. They were all being used except for one, and as Katara looked around she saw that all the inhabitants were children. When they entered, a teenage boy quickly turned around to see who they were. He was much older than those lying on the cots—probably around Katara and Suki's own age—and by the linens and rags that he carried in his arms, Katara assumed that he was an assistant of sorts. The older boy instantly recognized Kai, and looked very relieved to see him.

"Kai, where have you been? You can't just leave without telling anyone, you know how Samira gets…" The rest of his words trailed off as he finally noticed the two behind the small boy. His brown eyes widened as he took in both Suki and Katara's appearance. His gaze seemed to linger on Katara, no doubt because of her water tribe clothes and necklace; along with her blue eyes, it was an obvious sign of her being a foreigner. The older boy's mouth opened and closed without a sound, and it took another attempt before he found his voice again. "Uh…hi. Are you two with Kai?" He immediately winced. "I mean, of course you're with Kai, you just came in with him-" With every word he seemed to become more nervous, "-I just mean that I've never seen you before…and I was just wondering…"

"We ran into Kai while we were shopping," Katara explained, "And he mentioned that his sister was sick. I'm a healer, and I wanted to try to help."

"You're a healer?" As the shock wore off, he eventually smiled. "That's wonderful. We could always use a hand around here, there's just so many people and so much to do..." He seemed to realize that he was rambling a little and cleared his throat. "Oh, my name is Quin, by the way. Maya is over here."

With his arms still full, he walked towards the back of the room. Kia quickly caught up to older boy and looked at him, his expression hopeful. "Did Mistress Samira see her yet? Is Maya any better?"

"Samira did just a little while ago. She said her fever has broken, so she should start feeling better here soon. She'll have someone check up on again later this evening."

When Quin stopped by the second to last bed, Kia left them behind and bounded up beside the bed. Katara could immediately tell by looking at the young girl's face that the boy and girl were related; the resemblance between the siblings was very strong. The girl had to be a few years older than her brother, but she was very small, even for her age…and so pale, which was no doubt exacerbated by her illness. Her long, dark hair billowed out and around her, a stark contrast to the white of her skin and to the sheets around her. Even though she was still sleeping, the girl gave a soft whimper and twisted her head to the side. Katara moved to kneel beside the girl on the cot, and as she examined Maya she noticed the sheen of sweat on her forehead, a sign that some of illness was lingering on still. Katara glanced over at a large basin sitting next to the wall and drew some of the water to her in a small stream. Kai immediately gasped in delight.

"You're a waterbender!"

She gave the boy a small smile. "Yes, I am. That's what I'm going to use to help your sister." Katara then placed her hands directly above Maya's forehead, with the water hovering in between them. Using the same techniques she used to help with headaches, she closed her eyes and focused the water and her energy where she could feel the unnatural heat and tension in the area. Katara let her instincts guide her as she concentrated on correcting and soothing the imbalanced and agitated energy that she sensed underneath her hands. Once it all had that sense of 'rightness' to it, she pulled her hands away and opened her eyes. Maya had stilled underneath her, but the girl suddenly took a deep breath, and her eyes fluttered opened.

"Maya!" Kai leaned in closer to his sister, and when she recognized him, a smile appeared on her lips. "Kai…I'm glad you're here." Her words were very soft, but warm. "You haven't been getting into trouble, have you?"

"Well…maybe…" the boy looked bashful for a moment before he quickly brightened and pointed his arm towards Katara. "But I found the waterbender that helped heal you. That was a good thing."

"You are?" Maya asked, with a touch of awe in her voice as she looked over at Katara.

"That's right." On a sudden whim, Katara pulled a little more water out of the basin nearby and spun the stream above her hands. Both children oohed and aahed as Katara spun the little water wheel faster and faster. She then split the stream into two smaller ones and directed them closer to the two. As the streams flowed into different designs in front of their respective audiences, May and Kia clapped and giggled in excitement. Even Quin, who was standing at the foot of the bed next to Suki, smiled at the sight. Katara let it last for a few more moments before she finally directed the streams back into the basin.

"That was amazing!" Kai exclaimed. "Can you do it again?"

Katara couldn't but laugh a little at the eagerness in the boy's expression. "Perhaps later Kai…"

"So…" A women's stern tone broke through the little group's conversation, "our little troublemaker has finally decided to come back."

Katara turned to see that the voice came from a middle-aged woman that was wearing a light brown apron, standing at the foot of the bed next to Quin. The various pouches around the woman's waist told Katara that this was one of the healers, but her appearance was what immediately interested Katara. Other than the grey and white streaks at her temples, her long, brown hair had been pulled back into one, thick braid, and she wore a necklace that had several different types of seashells along its length. What really made her stand out from the rest of the group, however, were her eyes: eyes that were just as vivid blue as Katara's. Though her dress was earth-toned, Katara was certain that this woman was from one of the water tribes. But who was this woman, and what was she doing here?

The woman's attention was focused on Kai for the moment, but the scowl on her face didn't seem to faze the boy, who merely smiled back up at her. The women tsked at the boy's expression, but soon she was smiling too. "And I see you brought some friends with you too."

"Uh-huh. Mistress Samira, this is Katara and Suki. They wanted to help so I brought them back and now Maya's feeling better again. Isn't that wonderful!"

"Yes, it is very good news." She studied Katara for a moment, and looked thoughtful. "It's very rare for one so young to know about the path lines and how to properly treat them. You have a natural talent for healing."

"Thank you," Katara replied, "I had some great teachers to study under." Path lines—the natural lines of energy that run throughout the body—was something taught in advanced healing classes for waterbenders. For Samira to recognize the technique she must have had some training as well. Katara was about to ask her about it when Kai interrupted.

"Aren't you glad that I found her, Mistress Samira?"

"I am…" Her expression and tone once again became sterner. "But you know better, Kai, then to run off without telling anyone. You and I are going to have a talk later, but right now, I need you to go with Quin and help him with some of the chores."

Kai gave a very loud and exaggerated sigh. "Yes, Samira." He then flashed them one last smile before he bounded up to Quin and followed him back out into the hallway. Samira came up to Maya and placed her hand along her forehead.

"How are feeling now, child?"

"My head's not hurting at all, and I don't feel so cold either."

"Good." Samira gently brushed some of the Maya's black hair from her face. "You need to eat something now. How does some noodle soup sound?" When Maya eagerly nodded her agreement, Samira patted her arm. "Alright Maya, I'll have some sent up. You just rest now."

Samira caught Katara's eye as she straightened up, and Katara knew that the other women had questions for her too. She and Suki fell into step beside Samira as she headed back to the hallway. Once they briefly introduced themselves, the other woman asked them about Kai.

"So, Kai is the one that brought you here?"

"Yes," Suki answered. "We met him at the market nearby, and once he told us where he lived we asked him to take us here."

"I suppose he had gotten himself into some kind of trouble?" Samira studied their expressions as she opened the door and ushered them back into the hallway. Instead of answering right away, Katara reached into her pouch and pulled out the little hair comb. "He was tried to steal this from one of the merchants. We were going to talk to him about it after we had seen his sister."

"Is his parents here as well?" Suki asked, but Samira sadly shook her head. "They're both deceased. Maya and Kai have been orphans for over two years now." She sighed heavily. "We usually don't let orphaned children stay here—as an infirmary, we just unfortunately don't have any spare room—but Maya is constantly coming down with one illness after another, so this has become their unofficial home. I apologize for the boy's actions; Kai is a good lad, but he can be an adventurous one, and headstrong to boot. I will talk to him about it, and make sure it won't happen again."

Katara handed the comb over to the other woman. "He said he wanted this for Maya, to make her feel better. I think his heart was in the right place, regardless."

Samira smiled in understanding. "Thank you both for helping Maya and Kai. I wish I could repay you for your kindness, but unfortunately we have no money to give you. It's become a struggle to keep this place going from day to day."

"You don't need to repay us," Katara reassured her, "We were just glad that we could help."

"If you don't mind me asking, Samira— " Suki made sure to keep her tone polite "—why is this place struggling to stay open? The infirmaries in the other parts of the city that I've seen so far seem to be doing well enough."

"And what part of the city where you in when you saw them?"

"Well…the middle and upper rings I guess."

"And that is why," Samira answered sadly. "There, the patients can pay for the services and help keep it running. Here, however, the majority of the people we help barely have a copper to their name. Years ago, there were several infirmaries in the lower ring, and they were each properly staffed and well-supplied, thanks to funding by our city itself and generous donations. Within the last ten years however, our money and supplies slowly dwindled year by year—as did the number of healers at each location—until finally all the infirmaries in the lower ring closed, except for us. We here are the last."

"I can't believe that." Katara caught Suki's eye, and she knew just what the other girl was thinking. "It must have been Long Feng's doing. He had been slowly taking over the Earth King's control of the city, and he probably used the funds to pay for his private army and prison he was building."

Suki's brow creased in thought. "I bet if we talk to Kuei and told him what happened, we could get him to help out and maybe even reopen the other locations."

Samira appeared to be teetering between doubt and amazement. "You know the Earth King?"

"Yes, we do." Katara grimaced as she remembered the last couple of weeks. "Maybe a little too well, unfortunately."

Suki chuckled, and then became serious again as she explained to Samira. "We're friends of both the Earth King and the Avatar. We came here to offer our assistance to the Earth King and the city. I know that the others would feel the same way that we do. We'll get you the help you need, Samira."

"That would be truly wonderful." Samira still seemed a little shocked at the news, but she quickly regained her composure. "Thank you again for your help."

Katara knew that she and Suki needed to be getting back to the palace, but all she could think about was the other children she had seen in the room with Maya. She turned to Suki. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay here a little longer and help out. Could you take the tea leaves back to Iroh?"

"Of course." Suki squeezed her arm. "Go ahead and stay. I'll tell the others where you are."

"Thanks, Suki." The two friends embraced in a quick hug. "I'll be back before dinner."

"Alright, but don't be late." Suki playfully warned and then turned down the hallway. When Katara turned back to Samira, she realized, belatedly, that she had forgotten to ask Samira if she could stay and help. The question, oddly enough, made the other woman smile.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be leaving so soon." She gestured back to the room they came from. "I could use some help checking up on the rest of the children. Would like to join me?"

"Yes, I would."

As Samira began to check on the children lying on the cots, she explained a little more about the infirmary. There were only three healers left here at the cottage—that was the affectionate nickname given to the infirmary by the locals—but there was a continuous supply of volunteers that would come to pitch in with chores and maintenance to keep the cottage running. Most of these were people who had once been patients or family members that wanted to give back to the place that had helped them. While Samira talked, Katara paid close attention to how she cared for each child. The other woman was a healer in every sense of the word—not just for her confidence and knowledge about medicines and herbs, but also for her for her talent for comforting those she helped, and making them feel at home. Katara noticed what was lacking, though.

"So, there aren't any waterbenders here?"

Samira paused as she was reaching into one of her pouches at Katara's question, but then quickly resumed the motion. "There used to be several waterbenders here years ago, but as the Dai Li began to tighten their grip on the city, they began to accuse any known benders of treason." Her voice became very quiet. "It didn't matter that there was no proof of the accusations, or that they had dedicated their entire lives to helping others—one by one, the Dai Li charged them with treason. In the end, the waterbenders were either taken by the Dai Li or went into hiding."

"That's terrible." Katara whispered. She knew that Long Feng had used the Dai Li for his own twisted plans and had already seen some of its aftermath, but the news still shocked her. She was also disappointed to hear that there weren't any waterbenders here already at the infirmary. When she had first seen Samira, Katara had suspicions that Samira might have been a waterbender too, but it appeared she had guessed wrong. She was still intrigued as to how Samira had ended up here. "Samira, you used to live at one of the water tribes, didn't you?"

Samira finished pouring one of her little vials into the cup in front her before she answered. "Yes, I did—in the Northern water tribe. I spent most of my youth there, but when I got a little older I moved here to Ba Sing Se." She stepped over to a young boy lying on the cot to their right and gently raised his head up so she could help him drink. Once the boy had finished it, she came back over to where Katara stood.

"But why did you leave?"

Samira gave her a patronizing look. "I could ask the same of you, child." Her response surprised Katara, and it must have shown on her face because Samira immediately softened her tone. "It was a long time ago…when I was a much younger and more irresponsible woman." She came closer and lightly touched Katara's arm as she gave her a reassuring smile. "But what's past is past. For the present, I would appreciate it if you could help me with the others."

Katara knew she should drop the subject, so she agreed and focused on the matter at hand. She helped wherever she could; most of the time that was simply making poultices or teas, or in some cases using her waterbending to examine someone and help heal them. She fell into a kind of rhythm, going from one cot to another, and it was one that felt good. Samira would come by and check on her from time to time, answering her questions and giving her advice. Sometimes the older woman would stand and watch Katara perform her healing for several long moments without saying a word before she left again. This struck Katara as being a little peculiar, but she didn't say anything of it to the other woman. Once they had checked on everyone in the room, Samira then took Katara on a brief tour of the cottage. When looking from the outside, Katara had thought that the place was large; looking now at how many people stayed in the building, the infirmary actually should have been much larger. Though the people who came for help only spoke of the cottage in the highest regard, Katara was saddened to see the shape it was in. She resolved to speak about it to Kuei.

One of the last rooms Samira showed her was the small supply room on the bottom floor in the back. The little room was lined with cabinets and shelves, all stuffed with jars and boxes full of different foods, herbs, and medicines. Samira told her that she needed to grab something before they left, so she walked up to one of the only cabinets that was closed. After taking a key from her pouch, she unlocked and opened it, revealing more shelves that were packed full of bottles and bags of various sizes. As Samira reached to grab a small liquid vial from the bottom shelf, a small flicker of light caught Katara's eye from within the cabinet. It came from a large, clear bottle on the very top shelf that was nearly hidden behind several other containers—but there was no mistaking what was in it. Samira hastily shut the doors closed again, but Katara was sure of what she saw. The clear, softly glowing water in the bottle could only be one thing.

"That's water from the Spirit Oasis!"

Samira's expression immediate blanked at Katara's words, and her words were very dismissive. "You're just seeing things, child. Why would we have something here that would require a waterbender to use?"

All the little pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked together in Katara's mind. "Because there _is_ a waterbender here." She knew it to be true, and this time she wasn't letting it go. "It's _you_ , Samira. I saw how you watched me while I used my waterbending—you were studying me, from one waterbender to another. You also knew about the path lines, which is something a waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe would learn…and that would also be the place where you would get the water from." She stepped closer to the other woman and put a hand on her arm. "I understand why you've hidden it for so long, but Long Feng and the Dai Li aren't in control of Ba Sing Se anymore. The Earth King is fully in charge now, and he's a good man. He won't imprison you just for bending."

Samira looked away. "They said that same thing when I first came to the city years ago. In my book, actions speak louder than words."

"But things have changed, Samira." As Katara continued talking, her voice became more confident and passionate. "The Avatar and the Order of the White Lotus are all working towards restoring peace and balance to the world, and it's already starting here in Ba Sing Se. Kuei has been making sweeping changes to the city and its government, including freeing all the innocent people from under Lake Laogai. It will be different this time, Samira—I promise."

The disbelief on Samira's face was slowly beginning to disappear. "I had heard rumors of what was going on, and how things were going to be different, but I didn't think they were real. I guess I've just been hiding my waterbending for so long now…I'm afraid to believe that things really can change." Samira brought her hand up to cover Katara's, and give it a squeeze. "I suppose old habits die hard. You have given me a great gift, Katara. Thank you."

Katara and Samira shared a long look of understanding before Katara dropped her arm back to her side. She looked towards the locked cabinet again. "Speaking of gifts…Did Pakku give you the Spirit Oasis vial?"

The barest hint of a smile graced Samira's lips, but it was tinged with sadness. "Let's just say it was parting gift from a friend of mine. I was given two vials, but what you saw is all I have left now. I keep it secret now and save it for only the most extreme circumstance—when everything else has failed. Hopefully it will never have to come to that." She cleared her throat and motioned towards the door. "But come…we have dawdled long enough, and there is much more still to be done."

Katara nodded and followed the other woman back down the hallway. She knew that there were still many more rooms to go, each filled with people searching for help and hope amongst the chaos of the city. The spirits had seen fit to bring her to this place, and she had to believe that it was for this reason. She would help however she could, because that was part of who she was.

She ended up staying at the cottage for many more hours, far after the sun had set below the horizon. She would have some explaining to do when she got back to the palace, especially to Sokka, but she didn't mind. To her, it had been well worth it.


	18. Whispers In The Night

Zuko leaned in closer to the map that was laid out on the desk in his office. It was a detailed map of the city, and large enough that it covered its entire surface area. He had been staring at the map for some time now, trying to plan his next move, but he had rejected every idea that had come to mind so far. The urge to rush off and head straight to the Sons of Sozin's main hideout kept resurfacing amongst his thoughts, but he firmly suppressed it. He had not forgotten his uncle's admonition, though it seemed like a lifetime ago, nor had he forgotten what his past rash mistakes had cost him, especially with the Sons.

"If we're going to go after them," Masato stated as he stared down the map across from Zuko, "Then we need to head for Caldera Lake first, with enough men to make sure that we can catch and capture every last one of them."

Frowning, Zuko glanced up at his Captain. "That plan assumes that we know the layout of the tunnels and all the exits, but we don't. And even if we did know where all the tunnels are, we would probably have to bring a whole regiment down there with us just to properly canvas the entire area."

Masata grunted. "That's figuring on the light side. You would probably need about twice that—a hundred men or more—so they could sweep in teams."

"That's not going to work." Zuko ran a hand through his shaggy hair, frustrated at his lack of options. "Bringing that many men is going to take a lot of time to prepare, and make it nearly impossible to keep a secret. The Sons would find out about long before we got there and scatter into a hundred different splinter cells. We would never be able to find them all again."

The large man's response was blunt. "Then you just expand your net outward and make it larger. It's the only option we have."

"No it isn't," Zuko insisted. "The Sons would still find a way to escape. There are hundreds of tunnels underneath the city that crisscross each other and lead to all different parts of the caldera. If there is a main chamber under the lake, it would have several different tunnels leading from it." Zuko felt like he was grasping at straws. "There has to be another way…perhaps if we lead a small team in to infiltrate it-"

"And do what?" Masato asked bitterly. "Somehow magically sneak past all their sentries and defenses, prance right into the middle of their lair, and while fighting off dozens of assassins just up and grab their leader? And then, assuming that we live long enough to make a mad dash up to the surface, what we will do then? Throw Setsuko in prison and expect the rest of them to fall apart?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Zuko, but it's flawed plan…not to mention suicidal."

 _You never think these things through…_ Zuko could see his Uncle's golden eyes staring at him as if he was right in front of him. Masato had pointed out all the problems that he himself had already thought of, but he was quickly running out of ideas.

A knock on the door made Zuko immediately look up, but he relaxed when he saw it was Kenshin. "Did you find anything?"

His secretary frowned. "No. None of the maps I found showed anything of the tunnels under the lake, and Daichi never mentioned them in his journal. If the tunnels were ever put on a map, it must have been on one that is centuries older—and all those are in the ancient archives underneath the palace. I've sent some aides down to begin the search, but it's a lot of material to look through. I've also sent a message to Fire Sage Yuuto, to see if perhaps they have one in their archive."

"And did you ever hear of anyone named Yoshiro?"

"Unfortunately, no. If is a staff member of one of the generals, he's never come to the palace before."

His answers disappointed Zuko, but he knew that Kenshin was doing the best he could. "Alright. Thanks, Kenshin."

"It's my pleasure, Your Highness." He then pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from a larger pouch at his waist. "By the way, a messenger hawk just came in for you. It was marked urgent, and judging by how tired the hawk was, it came from a very long distance."

Intrigued, Zuko walked over and took the offered letter out of Kenshin's hands. He opened the outer envelope and pulled a smaller, sealed letter out of it. When Zuko held the seal up to the lamplight, he could make out the symbol of a circle with a diamond in its middle. "That's the seal of Ba Sing Se…it must be from the Earth King." He quickly broke the seal and unfolded the letter, and began to look over its lines, which were very few. Zuko relayed its contents to the other two as he read it. "Kuei is back at the palace, and now that the war is over they wish to hold a meeting between the nations to sign a formal declaration of peace. They also want to begin drawing up treaties and agreements between the nations. The leaders and dignitaries of each nation are summoned to the peace conference immediately so that discussions can begin."

"Where is the conference being held?" Kenshin asked curiously.

Zuko scanned the remaining lines, and his breath caught when he found his answer. "Ba Sing Se." The hand holding the letter dropped to his side. _Katara…_ Her blue eyes scattered all his other thoughts to the wind. _I know it's selfish, but I_ want _to see her again—to tell her how I really feel._ The letter crumpled in his fist as the pain in his chest tightened. _But how can I face her, knowing what I've done?_ _It's been weeks since I last saw her…since that day I sent her away. Would she even want to look at me again? And what would I say to her?_

"Uh, Your Highness?"

Kenshin's voice caught Zuko's attention again. Taking a shaky breath, he forced all the painful thoughts back to the corners of his mind. He would have to deal with them later, but for right now he made himself focus on answering the other man. "We will head to Ba Sing Se, but the trip will have to wait a little longer. I have to deal with the Sons of Sozin first."

Kenshin cleared his throat. "Actually, I would advise against that. The journey to the Earth Kingdom capital will take over a week to reach, so even if we left within the next few days, we still might arrival there later than the other delegates."

"Which is regrettable," Zuko firmly replied, "but I can't just drop everything here and rush off the Earth Kingdom. Send a letter to Kuei and let them know that we'll be there as soon as our situation allows."

"I'm sorry, Fire Lord Zuko, but that won't work." For once, a stubborn edge entered his secretary's words. "You told me when I first met you that you wanted me to give you my honest advice, so in this matter I must insist. We cannot delay our journey to Ba Sing Se. Not only because of the obvious importance of these meetings, but also because if we are late, it will look extremely bad, not just for you Fire Lord Zuko, but for the Fire Nation as a whole."

"Kenshin, I don't have time to care about appearances-"

"-But you have to, Your Highness." The other man cut him off. "The Fire Nation is already seen by the other nations as the aggressor and the sole cause of the war and its aftermath. By delaying our journey, you will in essence be telling the other nations that this peace treaty is of secondary importance to you, and they will start to question your commitment to this new proposed alliance.

Zuko immediately protested. "Aang knows that I'm going to do everything in my power to help out."

"But the other leaders don't know that yet. All they have to go on are the words of an Avatar that is even younger than you, Fire Lord Zuko. We have to show the nations, not just in our words but also in our actions, that the new Fire Lord and the Fire Nation is going to put all of our effort into helping rebuild the world. We have to _prove_ to them that we are different now, and it all starts with this peace conference and—for right or wrong—it's first impressions."

He didn't like its implications, but Zuko saw the truth of what Kenshin was saying. He had been outside of the palace and on his own for so long that it was still hard to wrap his mind around all the ramifications of what being a leader entailed. Not for the first time—and certainly not the last—he desperately wished his uncle was here, both for his company and for his much-needed advice.

There was another knock on the door, but this time it was a one of the palace staff that stepped into his office once Zuko gave his permission. The man looked out of breath, as if he had sprinted a long distance. When his amber eyes locked on Zuko's, he saw anxiety and fear in the other man's gaze. After taking a large gulp of air, he gave a hasty bow. "Fire Lord Zuko, I was told to report to you right away."

"What is it?"

"We only just found out about it ourselves." He took another steadying breath. "There's been an incident here in the residential district just north of the palace. When we found out who was involved, we knew we had to come straight to you."

"An incident…" Zuko's level of alarm was dramatically rising. "What's happened?"

The young man stood up straighter, and his voice became extremely grave and solemn. "It's General Shinu, Your Highness…he's been murdered."

* * *

Zuko remained silent as he and Toph walked through one of the hallways in General Shinu's large estate. Somehow, Toph had found out what had happened, and had insisted she was well enough to come along. He had wanted her to stay and rest, but unfortunately he had lost that particular debate.

"You think the Sons of Sozin are involved, don't you?"

Many theories had crossed Zuko's mind surrounding the general's murder, but he wanted to hear from Kenshin and Masato first before jumping to conclusions. "I think it's definitely a possibility. I want to find a little more about what Shinu was up to first." He glanced over at his friend. "I appreciate your help, Toph, but I think it's time for you to go back up to the palace now. I can have some guards escort you back."

"I'm not leaving until you are, Sparky. I told you I feel just fine, so quit worrying."

He _was_ worried about her, but he also knew by the stubborn set of her jaw that he wasn't going to win this particular battle. Sometimes, it really did feel like he was trying to argue with a mountain. "Alright, but when this is finished, you're going straight back to the palace and getting some more rest in."

Her pleased expression only lasted for a moment. "As long as I don't have to drink anymore of that vile concoction, it's a deal." Her mouth twisted in disgust. "They said that stuff for my dizziness was made of just plants and flowers, but I swear it tasted like a combination of month-old seaweed soup and Sokka's dirty socks. Healer or not, the next person who tries to make me drink that is going to spend some time as statue decorating your palace."

"How do you know what Sokka's dirty socks…?" Zuko abruptly shook his head. "Nevermind. I don't think I want to know the answer to that question." Luckily, he was spared any further discussion of that particular conversation once they arrived at their destination—they had just reached the door to Shinu's office, where they were to meet up with Masato and Kenshin. Kenshin looked up from the pile of papers in front of him as Zuko and Toph entered the room. Masato, who had been standing crossed-armed right next to the other man, looked over at Toph.

"So, did you have any luck getting the truth out of that slippery lot?"

She scoffed. "They were a no-brainer. Their hearts were thumping so loud I'm surprised you and Kenshin didn't hear it from here." Her tone became a little more serious. "They didn't have anything to do with the murder, though…and no clue on who could have been behind it. Whoever did it snuck in without the family or the servants hearing a single thing."

"And the guards haven't been able to find our man yet either." Masato shook his head. "I know it was already dark, but you would have thought someone would have seen _something_."

Kenshin frowned, deep in thought. "When you were talking with the family and staff, did you come across a 'Yoshiro'?"

"I asked," Zuko replied, "but no one had ever heard of that person before. Toph was positive on that fact."

"Hmm… that's interesting."

"Goro mentioned that name when we talked to him. Do you think the Sons of Sozin are involved?"

"I know they're involved." Kenshin held up one of the small stacks that had been laid out on the desk. "I've found several correspondences between General Shinu and the Sons over the last few weeks. Most of the letters aren't marked, but I believe they're from Setsuko himself."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Though it's hard to tell on some of the older letters, the newer ones from the Sons each bear the remnants of a wax seal, with the Sons of Sozin's unique symbol stamped on it. The majority of the letters were finalizing the sum and timing of payments to the Sons, which—according to Goro—would only be handled by Setsuko. Shinu initially contacted them about a month ago to help him solve a 'recent problem' of his-"

"-Which is when I became Fire Lord," Zuko interjected.

Kenshin nodded. "And each of the three 'jobs' they discussed in their letters occurred at the same time as the three assassination attempts towards you. There's no doubt in my mind they are talking about killing you, Your Highness."

"So it _was_ Shinu all along," Masato whispered in disbelief.

Zuko shared the feeling. There was still one thing that bothered him, though. "The only thing that seems missing is this 'Yoshiro' person. If Shinu was involved, then why didn't anyone here know of him?"

This time, it was Kenshin who asked. "I wondered that myself. Perhaps this 'Yoshiro' was a one-time companion or bodyguard…or an assistant they purposely kept secret due to illegal business transactions. Who knows if this person is even around anymore?"

"I can have the guards keep looking for him." Masato told him. "It might be a futile effort, though. The Sons probably took care of him just like they did his master. The traitors deserved each other." He shook his head in disgust. "I knew he didn't like you, but this…?"

"I think this went beyond a personal dislike." Kenshin suddenly seemed uncomfortable. "Shinu often referred to Fire Lord Zuko as the 'traitorous boy' when discussing their business. I believe he was referring to Ozai's pronouncement labeling then-Prince Zuko as a traitor to the country."

"So let me get this straight…" Though Toph kept her tone level, Zuko saw her brows furrow in anger. "One of the top generals in the Fire Nation army was plotting to kill the rightful Fire Lord behind his own back yet Zuko here is the traitor? What kind of twisted sense of logic is that?"

Zuko had spent enough nights in various inns around the city to hear what some people thought of him. It was hard to voice the rumors out loud. "Ozai never officially recanted my status as a traitor before he resigned as Fire Lord, so many, like Shinu, still think that I no right to call myself a Fire Nation citizen, much less it's leader."

Masato and Toph spoke up at nearly the same time. "That's a load of crap-"

"-Ozai was a crazed lunatic who only cared about his own selfish ambition-"

"-And everyone in this room knows that." Zuko had struggled with those very thoughts himself, but he knew his place now. "Like it or not, the fact is that there is still a lot of people out there who think I don't deserve to rule our nation, and it's going to take a lot of effort and time to try to change that. But that's not something I can fix right at this moment." He turned his attention back to Kenshin. "What I _need_ to know now is why, if Shinu was working with the Sons, would they want to kill him?"

Kenshin cleared his throat. "It appears that towards the end of Shinu's and Setsuko's business agreement, they had disagreements on the exact amount Shinu owed the Sons for the contract."

Zuko recalled part of the conversation he and Toph had with Shinu's family and staff. "The family secretary did say that they had come into some large debts recently."

"You couldn't tell that by how his wife and daughters dressed," Toph said with obvious distain. "They were wearing enough gemstones and jewelry to finance a small city. There is such a thing as being _too_ extravagant."

"It's a wonder how he managed to keep his financial situation a secret." Kenshin then held up a single piece of parchment, and a strange look came over his face. "This particular letter was written by Setsuko about three weeks ago. It in, he tells Shinu that their second attempt was a failure, but he assures the General that they will still complete the job…as long as Shinu doubles their price. He then instructed Shinu to meet them at the Crescent Gleam Inn, with an _additional_ twenty thousandgold pieces for their continued service."

Zuko's wasn't the only look of surprise around the room. Even Toph looked astounded at the amount. "Okay, now that's a serious chunk of change."

Masato huffed. "For that much, he could have bought a whole army to do his dirty bidding."

"Yes," Kenshin answered with an irritable look directed at the other man, "but then the whole thing wouldn't be very secretive, now would it?"

Zuko, however, was still thinking over what Kenshin had said. "Shinu must have paid them off after they met at the Crescent's Gleam, because they still came after me one more time. Their falling out must have happened after the third attempt failed."

At his words, Kenshin came over to Zuko and handed him one letter in particular. "This was the last letter from Setsuko to Shinu. Though it doesn't have a date on it, I believe it is very recent. I think you should read it, Your Highness." Zuko looked questioningly at his secretary before picking up the paper. He began to read it out loud to the others.

 _Shinu-_

 _It is unfortunate that you have decided to bring our business transaction to an abrupt close. We have no further interest in the boy and will consider the matter closed. I strongly suggest that you do the same._

 _You would do well to remember your place, General. You are in no position to demand anything from us, especially not in the form of payment. We also do not take threats lightly._

 _The Sons will do whatever we see fit, to ensure our continued existence and prosperity._

As Zuko lowered his hand with the letter, Toph spoke up. "So the Sons of Sozin really did turn on Shinu."

"Bastard deserved it," Masato practically spat the words out. "The knife in his back was the least he deserved."

Zuko's mind kept replaying the first two sentences—the ones that so casually referred to his particular fate. "Setsuko said their transition was over, and that they'd leave the boy along—meaning me. Do you really think they'll call the hit on me off?"

"That's what it looks like…but I know one person who could answer that better than any of us could."

Kenshin and Masato met his gaze, and they all had the same thought. "Goro."

Toph looked a little surprised. "So you got Goro to talk?"

"Sure did." Masato stared down at the earthbender. "You up for going to the prison tower?"

She already seemed to know what the larger man was thinking. "I'm game."

"Good. You and I are going to head straight over there. Let's see how Goro likes talking to you."

A smug look came over Toph's features. "Sweetness."

* * *

Toph and Masato were just a few feet away from Zuko's office when the larger man gently grabbed her arm, signaling her to stop. She could from his slightly elevated heart rate and body posture that he seemed a little nervous, though you could never tell it by listening to him.

"So, are you sure about Goro?"

"Positive. He's a piece of cake compared to talking to someone like Azula." Now _there_ was one person she had never been able to get a proper read on. Azula gave new meaning to the words 'cold' and 'heartless'.

"You actually talked face to face with Princess Azula?"

"Yeah…it didn't go so well." That was a huge understatement, but she preferred not to dwell on it for the moment. "But I know what Goro told us was the truth. No doubt about it." Despite her assurances, Masato's demeanor didn't change. She knew what that meant. "But you're still worrying, aren't you?"

He gave a small grunt in acknowledgement. "The Sons of Sozin may not be after Zuko anymore, but the fact is that they're still holed up under Caldera Lake…and we still have several of their 'brothers' in the prison tower. So, yes, you can say our present situation is a little worrisome."

"Then why don't you just beef up the prison tower security?"

"I am. I've requested more men to be transferred to the prison, but I want to make sure they're reliable before I place them in charge of the country's most dangerous prisoners."

She knew where this was going. "So you want me to check them out, right?"

"Yes, if it's possible."

Toph didn't answer him right away. Masato and Kenshin had mentioned to her that Zuko had been summoned to Ba Sing Se, and she had initially thought about going with him. All the rest of her friends were there now, including Aang… It had only been a few weeks, but she already missed him—his bright and cheery personality, their bending practices, and their chats together. She thought about the day that he had left, and the hug that the two of them had shared…

When Toph felt her cheeks heating up, she realized she was blushing, and the realization mortified her. Turning away from Masato, she quickly squashed the traitorous thoughts. She did _not_ want to turn into one of those silly, swooning girls. Crossing her arms, she put on her best nonchalant tone. "You guys would be in over your heads without me, so yeah…I guess I'll stay and help." Wanting to change the subject, she then gestured towards the door. "Come on. We should report in to His Worrisomeness before he sends out a search party for us."

"After you," he replied. When she approached the door, the guards on each side didn't move as she opened it and let them both in. Even though it was extremely late in the night, Zuko was, as usual, going over more paperwork with Kenshin at his desk.

"Toph...Masato," Zuko immediate stood up and walked towards them. "How did it go?"

"Peachy," she told him. "I talked to Goro for a while. What we found at Shinu's place is official. The hit on you has been called off."

"Then it's true… It really is over." As the words sunk in, Zuko's whole body slowly began to relax, like a spring unwinding from its tight coil. When he finally spoke again, the edge that had been present in his voice for the last several weeks was missing. "Did you happen to find out when Setsuko passed along the orders?"

"Goro said that Setsuko called the hit off on you about two days before we raided their place in Harbor City."

Next to her, Masato huffed. "But Goro was willing to overlook that fact when the two of you faced off together. He says it's a personal matter between the two of you now."

Zuko's answer was dismissive. "I'm sure he does. For now, though, he'll have to be happy with staying in his cell."

Toph smirked. She had called that one. "Yeah, I figured as much, so I already passed the message along to him."

"Your Highness..." Kenshin piped up next to Zuko. Toph didn't understand how Zuko could put up with the guy being so formal all the time. He, however, had assured her that Kenshin was actually much less formal than when they had first met…which was hard to believe. "What about Ba Sing Se?"

As soon as the words were out of Kenshin's mouth, Zuko's heart rate shot up exponentially. The way his body suddenly flushed, his thoughts were as obvious to Toph as if he had shouted them out. There was only one person that made him react like that—and that one person was Katara. No matter how much Zuko tried to hide it or deny it, Toph knew that he still head over heels for her. This was one thing, though, that Toph couldn't help him with.

"We'll leave tomorrow," Zuko answered quietly, "On the fastest ship we have here at the harbor. With any luck, we'll be in Ba Sing Se in just over a week." He took a deep breath, and his voice came out a little steadier. "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, so I need to make sure to leave someone in charge."

Masato chuckled softly. "With all the paperwork and administrating that comes with that position, I nominate Kenshin. He'd be perfect for the job."

"I can't, Masato. I have to go along with Fire Lord Zuko as his official advisor. It'll have to be someone else." He was silent for a moment, and then perked up. "I would suggest General Ichiro. He is now the highest ranking general on the council, and your most loyal supporter, Your Highness."

"You can't be serious!" Masato nearly shouted, which surprised Toph because the man usually didn't get that excited. "I wouldn't trust Ichiro as far as I could throw him, much less put him in charge."

Kenshin clearly didn't appreciate Masato's little outburst. "And you also said we couldn't trust him with Bujing, but yet he brought the general and all his men back. You can't hold a grudge on the man just because he's proven you wrong, Masato."

"It's not just a grudge. I'm telling you, there's something off about him…I just can't put my finger on it yet."

"Well," Zuko interrupted their little exchange. "Since you're so adamant about not handing over _all_ the responsibility to Ichiro, I'll just have to leave you both in charge."

Masato's pulse suddenly spiked next to her, and he seemed too shocked to say anything. Toph wished she could have seen the look on his face. "Both of us? You can't be serious…"

"I'm very serious."

"But-"

"Oh, come on," Toph elbowed the big man in the side. "Be a big boy and suck it up. Besides, I'll be here to watch over you boys and make sure you don't get into any serious trouble."

"Then it's settled." There was a hint of amusement in Zuko's voice. "You and Ichiro will have joint power and responsibility while I'm absent. You'll have to make sure you both consult with each other and the council on a regular basis…and Toph will be here to help too."

Masato muttered something unintelligible under his breath—something that sounded halfway between a growl and a curse. Finally, he sighed and straightened up. "Yes, Your Highness. I'll make sure to let General Ichiro know first thing in the morning."

"Good. And start the preparations for the ship. Tomorrow, we leave for Ba Sing Se."

* * *

Yoshiro barely glanced at the servant standing next to the doorway as he walked out onto the large veranda. Like so many other rooms in his uncle's large estate, this one offered a large, unobstructed view of Caldera Lake, which looked impressive even by the light of the moon. His uncle was facing the lakeshore now—the lone occupant at the large, ornate table that was centered on the veranda's surface. A bottle of wine and a single glass were sitting near its owner, and by the looks of the bottle, it had only recently been opened. Yoshiro came around the edge of the table and respectfully gave him a bow.

"Good evening, Uncle."

The other man picked up the wine glass and carefully sniffed its contents before taking a slow, savored sip. Once he was finished he held up the glass, as if to study its liquid contents. "Did you know that we had wine from the Earth Kingdom in our cellars, Yoshiro?"

Though his uncle's tone was inquisitive, Yoshiro knew better than to take the question lightly, no matter the subject. "No, I didn't. If you'd like, I could speak to the steward about the wine selections."

"That won't be necessary. I specifically requested the vintage." He pointed towards the bottle. "This was from Omashu, from the only winery present in the city—though I've been told there used to be more. Despite its crude origins, it's actually very pleasant. It's important to know what else is out there, even if it _is_ far inferior to it's Fire Nation equivalent." At that point, Yoshiro knew that his uncle was talking about more than just the wine. But he had other immediate business to discuss with him. "I have important news, Uncle."

"And what is it?"

"General Shinu is dead."

The older man finally turned to look at him. "You are certain?"

"Yes. I heard it from a first-hand source. Shinu is gone."

His uncle turned back to face the lake, but not before a look of contempt flashed over his features. "Good. Shinu was an ignorant, hot-headed fool and a disgrace to the title. I only regret that I couldn't have seen it in person…but no matter. The task I gave you—I expect you were successful?"

Yoshiro quickly nodded his head. "Yes, exactly as you wanted it, Uncle."

"And the boy?"

"He doesn't suspect…and there is something new." Yoshiro couldn't help but feel a little pleased at the extra information he had obtained. "He'll be leaving for Ba Sing Se within the next couple of days."

The other man's voice was so low it almost came out as a purr. "Excellent. That will make things even easier. Has there been any word on the boy's uncle?"

"Yes. It appears he's given up all claims to the throne." He allowed a little humor to color his words. "His only ambition now, it seems, is to run a tea shop in Ba Sing Se. Do you want me to have him taken care of?"

The other man studied his wine glass once again as he pondered the question, but eventually he gave a slight shake of his head. "No, it's best not to attract too much attention all at once. Leave the coddled fool to his tea. If he should unfortunately change his mind, _then_ we will act." His uncle took another sip of his wine before setting it on the table. "I want you to meet with Setsuko. I have a new job for him."

Yoshiro blinked in surprise. "By myself? Surely you will want to come with me?"

"No, you will do this by yourself."

"But Uncle-"

His uncle's golden eyes cut sharply towards him, and Yoshiro broke off without another word. He knew when he was coming perilously too close to disobedience. When he remained silent, the older man continued. "Yoshiro, after I am gone, you will take over as the head of this family. In order for you to be successful, you will need to learn the inner and outer workings of our business, and how to represent our family. This task I'm giving you is part of that training."

As the importance of what he was being told sunk in, pride swelled up in Yoshiro. He bowed to seated man. "Thank you, Uncle. I am extremely grateful for your knowledge and trust." He quickly straightened up. "Who is the target?"

His uncle studied him a moment before answering, as if to judge Yoshiro's resolve. "General Bujing."

Yoshiro's eyes widened in surprise. "But Bujing is a High General, and the highest ranking member of the Fire Nation military!"

A sneer appeared on his uncle's lips. "Bujing gave up any title and respect the moment he ran from the capital like the cowardly dog he is. Regardless, he is still a threat, and he must be dealt with. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Good. Bujing is currently being held in the prison tower." He gestured towards a large pouch that had been sitting in the center of the table. When Yoshiro picked it up, he noted by the heavy weight that it must have numerous gold coins in it. "Give that to Setsuko, and tell him he will get twice that much once the job is completed, with two conditions: he must wait until the boy has left the city, and it must be made to look like an accident."

"Ah," Yoshiro replied in understanding, "So once both Bujing and the boy are out of the way, there will only be one person for the nation and the council to turn to for leadership—and that person will be you, Uncle."

The corners of his uncle's mouth curled up into a small smile. "Precisely. Now go…and tell Setsuko that he better start living up to his promises, or I will become very displeased with him and his little group."

"I will." Yoshiro bowed again and headed back towards the inner rooms of the house. There were going to be a lot of changes coming very soon, ones that would rightfully bring their family to center of power in the Fire Nation. The thought brought a smile to Yoshiro's lips.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm getting super busy with work now and traveling for business, so I probably won't be able to keep up posting every week now, but I will try to keep posting regularly/as much as I can. Thank you to everyone who left me reviews - it is very exciting to see that people are still into this story and helps motivate me to keep writing on it even though my free time is rapidly diminishing. Thanks again for reading!


	19. Making Time for an Old Acquaintance

The wind whipped at Katara's hair and at the folds of her blue dress as she headed towards the familiar tall, brown structure ahead of her. The gusts did little to diminish the warmth of the lingering summer, and stirred up an enormous amount of dirt on the dusty roads of the city. She hurriedly made her way to the cottage and ushered herself inside, trying to shake as much as the dust off her clothes as possible. The winds had been blowing for two days solid now, and she was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to feel completely clean again.

Many of the people Katara met passing through the rooms and hallways of the large infirmary greeted her by name. She had spent most of her time here in the past week tending to the sick, though there were so many that she had helped it was impossible to remember all their names. But she remembered their faces, and she would make sure to pause to ask them how they were doing before she continued onward. The smiles and hope that she saw in their eyes made every moment of her time here worthwhile. Wanting to find Samira, Katara decided to try the kitchen first. She turned the corner to head in that direction—and was nearly run over by Quin, carrying an armful of bed sheets.

"Ahh…" the ridiculously large pile of rags teetered precariously in the teenager's arms as he swerved to avoid her. Being much more agile on her feet, Katara reached out towards the boy and grabbed him and his burden, helping to steady them both. When Quin had regained his balance, he looked over at her—but his eyes caught on the sight on her hand still on his arm, and his cheeks immediately broke out into a furious blush. She quickly took her hand away, which only seemed to deepen his blush. "I'm so sorry, Katara…I didn't see you there. I should have been more careful…"

"Its okay, Quin." It definitely wasn't the first time in the last week that the other boy had suddenly begun stammering or lost his footing around her. Katara had an idea of what it implied, which only made her more uncomfortable. Quin had become a friend, and a big help to her around the infirmary, and Katara wanted to leave it at that. "It's not a big deal." She hastily changed the subject. "Have you seen Samira around?"

"Yeah, she got here a little while ago." He glanced nervously at the floor. "I just saw her in the kitchen. She should still be in there."

"Alright, thanks Quin." Partly relieved, she once again turned back down the hallway and headed to the next room. When she stepped into the large kitchen, there were a few people already there, and Samira was one of them. She stood at one of the tables with several containers and a cup in front of her; at the moment, she seemed to be breaking up some ingredients to put in a drink. The older woman didn't look up until Katara was right next to her, but when she did, there was a smile on her face.

"Good morning, Katara. Maya and Kai were already asking about you."

"They were?" The two siblings had taken an instant liking to her and Suki, and constantly followed them around whenever they were at the cottage. They loved hearing Katara's and Suki's stories about their villages and the journeys they had been on. In fact, they took every opportunity to ask them more questions about it—until Samira finally got tired of them being underfoot and gave them some small chore to do. Maya and Kai also soaked up every detail Katara would spare on the subject of waterbending, and often asked for demonstrations. Looking down on their eager faces, Katara often couldn't say no to them. "I'm surprised they hadn't found me yet."

"Oh, I sent them off on a small errand. They should be back any moment now." Samira laid out some dried plant leaves and began crushing them. "So, you're by yourself today?"

"The others wanted to come again, but they had to stay at the palace today…there's still a lot of work to be done." Thinking about all her friends and family made Katara smile. "They did want me to tell you that they'll come back and visit as soon as they can. Iroh says he already misses your cooking."

"I'm sure he does." There was a slight hint of amusement in Samira's voice. "By the way he and those boys eat, you'd think the palace never gave them a scrap of food." She briefly looked up, and paused at her work as her gaze caught on the bracelet around Katara's left wrist. "Ah, so Maya and Kai finally finished making their present for you."

"Yes, they gave it to me yesterday." The bracelet had been braided from many different strands and hues of blue and white. They had also woven in a few beads into the design, as well as a very small blue stone carved with a crescent moon on it. Though she didn't ask, Katara had a pretty good idea who had they had gotten the stone from. She had loved the little bracelet from the moment she had seen it, and had decided to keep wearing it, with one little addition of her own. In the center of the bracelet, directly underneath the little carved stone hung a small, metal charm—one in the shape of the dragon. Katara had been carrying it for weeks now, carefully tucked away in her pack. She had stumbled upon it this morning in her room, looking for some clothing. The little trinket stirred many different, conflicting emotions in her, and she had hesitated on what to do with it—but in the end, it had seemed right to put it on.

Samira seemed to notice it as well. "Though I don't seem to remember there being a dragon on it yesterday."

"It was something I added," Katara answered softly. "It was a gift…" Even as she spoke the words, the memory of that day came unbidden to her.

 _Zuko stood in front of her, dressed in his armor and looking every inch a prince. Individual strands of his black hair fell into his eyes from when she had purposefully mussed up his hair. He was anxious about something—she could hear it in his voice as he talked. "Katara, I want to ask you something."_

 _Before she could ask him what was going on, he opened up his hand. When she looked closer, she realized that it was the dragon charm that he had bought in the marketplace earlier that morning._

" _I didn't really think about it when I bought it this morning, and I don't really have a use for it, so I was wondering if you wanted to have it." He immediately winced a little. "Wait, that came out wrong. I mean, I know it's not a proper gift like you deserve…I just thought of you when I looked at it, so I wanted to ask-"_

 _She put a finger on his lips to silence his stuttering. "I knew what you meant, Zuko." Smiling, she brought her hand away and picked up the little charm from his palm. "I'd love to have it…as a reminder. Thank you."_

" _You're welcome," he gently whispered. He smiled again—one of those smiles that he seemed to save just for her…one that instantly warmed her heart._

Katara blinked several times as she refocused her attention on the bracelet. The warmth from the memory was gone now, leaving behind loneliness and longing deep inside of her. It wasn't the first time the little dragon evoked those emotions—nor would it be the last time—but she stubbornly refused to take it off.

"The person that gave it to you must be very special."

Katara gave a little start at Samira's words; she had been so caught up in her own memories that she had forgotten that the older woman was right next to her. As the words sank in, Katara glanced back down at the bracelet, but her vision again became clouded with other images…images of him.

"Yes…" It suddenly became very hard for her to breathe. "Yes, he is…" Incapable of further words, she fell silent, and so did Samira.

Katara started to let her arm fall, but Samira gently caught it. "You don't often see the dragon and the moon side by side," Samira replied thoughtfully as she studied the symbols. Her voice was soft, and it had that same tone that Iroh did when he talked in multiple meanings. "They are opposites of each other, just like the elements and the nations they represent. But in their opposition they also perfectly balance each other—like that of the ying and yang."

When Katara met Samira's gaze, she recognized the emotion in the other woman's eyes. "You were close to someone in the Fire Nation once."

"Yes, I was." Sighing, Samira slowly released her arm. "When I was young—probably just a few years older than you—I traveled a few miles south of the Northern capital by boat with a small group of our warriors. We had gone to investigate reports that one of our ships had been attacked and wrecked along our southern coastline. I and one of the other healers came along to take care of any injured that we found at the site. We did eventually did find our ship, alongside a Fire Nation ship that had also been wrecked in a battle between the two. I volunteered to search the Fire Nation ship with a few of our men while the majority of our party searched our own boat for survivors." She paused, her expression turning even more solemn. "Among the wreckage, we found only one survivor on the Fire Nation ship—a young soldier that was severely injured and weak from lack of food and water. The others in my group wanted to leave him, but I wouldn't. At that moment, I didn't see him as our enemy…but rather as a person that I had the power to save. I convinced them to take the Fire Nation soldier with us, but only on the condition that he would have to be brought before Chief Arnook once he was healed for justice. While the other healer tended to the other survivors that had been found, I alone tended on the Fire Nation soldier, and brought him his food and water for every meal."

"He didn't say much at first, but as he grew stronger he began to talk more. He was very upset when he had learned what had happened to him, and didn't think very much of me at first, since I was the enemy—even though it was I that had saved his life. He was a very proud man, but through our many exchanges, I came to realize that he was also a compassionate man, though he tried his best to pretend otherwise." A small wisp of a smile crossed Samira's lips. "Slowly but surely, his attitude towards me began to change, and before I knew what was happening, I realized that mine had changed towards him as well. Even though he was everything I was told to despise, I eventually fell in love with him, and he with me." Her smile slowly faded. "After we got home, the time came to take him before Chief Arnook. I begged and pleaded for the chief to pardon him and let him go, but the chief refused. They tried to take us, but we both fought back—I with my waterbending and he with his firebending—until Chief Arnook finally called off his men, and told the two of us to leave immediately, for we had been banished."

Katara felt a pang of sorrow for her companion. "So that's why you came to the Earth Kingdom."

A long, heavy moment passed before she spoke again. "Yes. We were going to start a new life here together in Ba Sing Se..." She stared, unseeing, ahead of her. Her voice became quiet. "His name was Tarou."

"But something happened before you got here."

"Yes... We ran into a fire nation patrol. When they discovered I was a waterbender, they tried to capture me. Tarou tried to stop them, but there were too many..." Despite her terrible account, her voice remained steady. "He gave his life so that I could escape."

"I'm so sorry, Samira."

Samira glanced over at her and gave her a small half-smile to reassure her. "It's alright dear. It was hard, at first, but I have come to peace with it." She looked back down at Katara's bracelet. "We never know what journey life has in store for us…but if there's one that I've learned after all these years, it is to regard each day—and especially those in it—as a gift."

Katara swallowed hard as the memory around the bracelet resurfaced again. She finally pushed it aside and watched as Samira once again resumed her work on the ingredients. Katara quickly moved to help her, and a comfortable silence settled between the two as they worked in the kitchen.

Just as they were almost finished, one of the other women came in and smiled when they saw Katara. Song had also been a healer for many years here at the infirmary, and she had instantly welcomed Katara into the group. The tall, thin woman always seemed to have a smile on her face—but she would also talk your ear off, if you would let her.

"Well, good morning Katara. Is Suki not with you today?"

"She had to help Aang and Sokka at the palace. But she's going to try to come back tomorrow."

"This place does have a way on growing on people in a very short amount of time." She winked at Katara. "It's been like that for me for nearly nine years now and counting."

"It must be the cooking," Katara wryly said as she glanced at Samira. "All the boys could talk about was how much they loved the taste of a 'home-cooked' meal." She had been a little miffed at first at how Sokka and Aang had showered Samira with comments on her cooking, but then Katara reminded herself that Samira had the privilege in cooking in an actual kitchen with real ingredients; she didn't have to cook while on the run and put up with Sokka's 'misadventures'. After that, it didn't bother her as much.

"Yes, that was quite a little feast we had that night…" Song chattered excitedly, "and then the Earth King coming here in person! My, my…that was quite something. I don't think I shall ever forget that. He was quite a nice man, too."

"That he is," Samira agreed with her, "and very generous as well."

"Oh my, yes! I can't believe that he's going to have a new building built for us, and more funding to run it, which means more healers…it's very exciting." Song swelled with pride as she looked at Katara. "And it's all thanks to you, my dear."

Katara felt a little embarrassed at her words. "I just passed along the message, that's all."

"Even the smallest decisions can have big consequences," Samira told her. "What you've done has made a difference here, Katara. I am very grateful for you and your friends' help."

"And we all are very happy to have you here, for however long you choose to stay," Song added with a grin. She then placed her hands on her hands and directed a more business-like tone with Samira. "I was fixing to head out to the market for some more bread, Samira. Was there anything else you needed me to get?"

"No, I think we're good on everything else right now. Thank you, Song."

"Alright then. I will be back soon." As Song headed back out the room, Samira mixed the last of the ingredients together for the drink. She then handed over the bowl to Katara. "Can you pour this into a cup, Katara? It needs to go to Cheng in the blue room upstairs."

"Sure." Katara answered. Since there were so many rooms in the building, each one had a simple description to distinguish it, and they were all very well known to her now. She moved to the back of the kitchen and grabbed one of the cups out of the cupboard nearby. As she was pouring the concoction into the cup, she heard a pair of footsteps hurriedly approach the kitchen. They sounded light, as if from a child's, and she was proven right when she heard Maya and Kai's voices ring out when they rushed through the door.

"Katara! You're here!

"You're back!"

The two children bounded through the kitchen and headed straight for Katara. She quickly put her stuff down and turned just in time to be nearly tackled by both of them. They fiercely hugged her waist and hung on for several moments as she gladly put her arms around both and squeezed them back. Their enthusiasm and energy was very infectious. "Hey, guys. It's good to see you too."

Kai let go and looked up at her, his expression very eager. "Can you show us that water wheel again?"

"And tell us another story?" Maya chimed in. Her face was a mirror twin of her brother's. "I want to hear about the airbender temple again."

"Perhaps later, okay? Right now, I have to help Samira out."

Samira put hands on her hips and scowled at the two of them. "There will be plenty of time for that later. Now, what have I told you two about being in the kitchen?"

"Not to be underfoot," Maya answered as Kai huffed. The small boy pouted for a moment, but they both reluctantly stepped out and around to the other side of the tables.

"Did you give Li-ying the bag and tell her what I told you?"

Maya nodded at Samira. "Yes, we did. She said to tell you thank you." Next to her, Kai brightened. "And she gave both of us a candy! It was yummy."

"Excellent." Samira nodded approvingly at them. "You did a good job."

Katara smiled at the exchange and went back to her task. As she went to pick up the full cup, Maya begin chattering again. "We heard there's going to be a big gathering at the palace tomorrow, with music, food, and a bunch of people all dressed up. Can we go, Samira?"

"Yeah, can we go?" Kai asked, and even though Katara couldn't see Samira's expression, she could tell by the tone of her voice that her lips had turned down into a frown.

"Who did you hear that from?"

"There was a man on the street that was telling everyone," Kai was explaining. "I think he was from the palace. He was dressed really nice." Maya then added. "He said that some lord had just arrived at the city. He also said that now that the kings of all the nations were here, they're going to have a big meeting and celebration."

"No," Kai corrected his sister in a matter-of-fact tone. "The others don't have kings like us. The water peoples have a chief, and the Fire Nation has a Fire Lord."

Katara, who had only been half-listening to the conversation until then, suddenly stopped in mid-stride with the drink still in her hands as Kai continued. "Oh yeah, the Fire Lord-that's the person the man said just arrived at the city today. He's going to stay at the palace too."

A loud crash suddenly echoed throughout the room, and Katara was still so shocked at the news that it took a moment for her to realize that she was the source of it. The cup that had been in her hands now lay shattered on the floor, its liquid contents spilled all around her and also splattered along the bottom of her dress. She blushed furiously as everyone's eyes turned to her in surprise, and she quickly bent down to start cleaning it up. She felt as if her head were spinning. _Zuko is here…at the palace. I mean I knew this day was coming, but now it all seems to be happening so fast-_

"Katara!" A pair of hands gently grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stop what she was doing. She looked up to see a very worried Samira kneeling next to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am," she shakily replied. She stood up as Samira did and let the older woman carefully direct her away from the mess. "I'm so sorry Samira, I can clean it up-"

"Don't you worry about it. I will see to it. Are you sure you're okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine." Her voice was a little steadier this time, though her mind was still in a whirl. "I…I think I just need some air."

"Alright…" Samira sounded unconvinced, but she didn't press the matter further. She quietly told Maya and Kai to head upstairs as Katara headed towards the back door.

Thankfully, there was no one else in the alley for the moment. Strands of her hair whipped across her face from the wind, but she ignored it as she leaned back against the building and closed her eyes. It had been over a month now, but the memories of her last conversation with Zuko were still fresh in her mind…and so was the hurt. Suki's words had been a constant echo in Katara's mind, and the more she thought about, the more she believed her friend was right. There at the end, right before she had turned away from Zuko to leave on Appa, she had seen something in his eyes beside the cold hardness. She had been in too much pain to know what it was then, but she realized now that it was the same warmth and longing that she had often seen in his eyes when he had looked at her.

Katara knew, deep down, that Zuko still had feelings for her…she no longer doubted that. Whether he had sent her away to protect her or because he really didn't believe they had a future together, she wasn't sure, but in the end it really didn't matter. He had taken away her choice and decided that what was between them was over before it had barely begun, and it was that thought that hurt the most. The knowledge that he wanted to be with her as much as she did him, and yet still chose to send her away, was a constant, lingering ache that stayed with her. It was painful to think of the what ifs, of what could have happened different in order for them to still be together. Sometimes she thought it would have been easier to keep believing that he no longer cared.

Katara felt moisture gathering in her eyes and quickly tried to blink them away. Crying certainly wasn't going to help anything, or change the reality of the situation. Zuko was the Fire Lord, and he would do his best to help the new council of nations in the aftermath of the war. And she…she would greet him as any other dignitary would—shake his hand and smile—and pretend that everything was just fine, even as her heart was breaking inside. She would do it because she would have to…because that was the path he had chosen for them both. But that time hadn't come just yet.

Taking a long, deep breath, Katara pushed herself off the wall and walked back to the doorway leading into the kitchen. There was still a lot to do here at the infirmary. The palace would have to wait.

* * *

Zuko experienced a slight sense of déjà vu as he stepped out of the carriage in front of the palace of Ba Sing Se. The wind tugged at his elaborate robes as he stood recalling that day, though it was still too early in the season for it to be cold. Last time he was here, he and his uncle had been simple tea makers coming to serve the Earth King tea—which had turned out to be yet another scheme of Azula's. _That seems like a lifetime ago. If I had known back then that in a few months I would return again as the new Fire Lord..._ He shook his head slightly. _I probably wouldn't have believed myself._

Kenshin stepped out onto the pavement next to him. As always, his secretary was in the red and gold robes of his office, along with his medallion—and a satchel that was full to the brim with officials documents of all kinds. Zuko didn't think Kenshin was capable of going anywhere without a least one piece of parchment stashed somewhere on his person. But his extreme attention to detail and thoroughness had already been a great help to Zuko, and he was sure to need his secretary's help in the coming days of the conference.

A large group was already waiting for them in front of the great doors of the palace, and Zuko could already see several of his friends there. A small group of the Earth Kingdom guards followed along behind Zuko and Kenshin as they made their way to the palace. Kuei and some other palace officials were standing a little behind Aang, Sokka, and Suki, who all wore big grins on their faces. Zuko frowned when he noticed that Katara wasn't with them, but even that frown disappeared as Aang came to give him a hug, followed quickly by Sokka and Suki. Although hugging amongst the group of friends was growing on him, it still made Zuko feel a little awkward. "Hey guys…" He started after they had all disentangled arms, but Sokka immediately clapped him on the shoulder.

"Man, it's good to see that you're still all in one piece. We hadn't heard anything from you in weeks—and knowing there were all those nut jobs still in the city with you—we were beginning to worry."

Suki rolled her eyes. "Smooth one, Sokka."

"What Sokka is trying to say is that we're all glad that you're alright," Aang told Zuko with a smile, "and it's good to have you back."

Hearing their exchanges brought a small smile to Zuko's lips. It did feel good to be back with his friends. "Yeah, sorry I didn't write…I've been pretty busy. But the Sons of Sozin have been taken care of. They won't be a threat anymore."

"That's great!" Suki told him as Sokka patted him on the back. "Way to go Your Lord-ship!"

"I knew you could handle it," Aang confidently replied. "I did learn my firebending from the best, after all."

"Thanks, Aang."

"So, how _did_ you manage to take care of all those Fire Nation wackos?—no offense—"

"—None taken—it's kinda a long story…"

Suki lightly elbowed Sokka in the ribs, "He can tell us later, he did just get here after traveling half-way across the world."

"Speaking of which…" Aang's smile disappeared. "Where is Toph at? I'd thought she be coming up here at the same time as you."

As Aang continued to stare at him questioningly, Zuko anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. "Toph didn't come with us. She wanted to stay back at the palace."

"She did?" Aang didn't try to hide the obvious disappointment from expression or tone. "I thought she would want to come back here…"

"She did want to come along with us, but she felt she needed to stay at the capital to help out. We still don't have all the guards we need at the palace or at the prison tower, and with some of the Sons still out there-"

"-Wait a minute!" Sokka interrupted him. "I thought you said you had taken care of them!"

"Well, we did, but they still have a hideout in the city-"

Sokka's mouth dropped. "-There's an _entire building_ full of these firebending-knife-wielding maniacs right in your backyard and you're still insisting it's safe? Have you been drinking more of that fire whiskey?"

"Of course not!" Zuko answered defensively. "There's a lot more to it than that, Sokka. I just didn't want to go into the whole telling-" He gestured around them "-out here."

"Oh." Realization dawned on Sokka's face. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." He looked around for a moment. "So…shall we go inside?"

"Yes, we should." Kuei finally came up to their little group, his tone polite and welcoming. He gave a slight bow, which Zuko returned in kind. "It's good to finally meet you, Fire Lord Zuko. I'm glad you could come here so quickly."

"The winds certainly helped." Zuko glanced around at the large welcoming party. "Though you don't seem too surprised at my arrival."

Kuei beamed proudly. "Our communication system within the city is the largest and fastest in the world. Just like the monorail system to transport our people, we have smaller rails that transport messages all the way from the edge of the city to the palace. We can get a message from the very outer wall to here in just a matter of minutes. So we had plenty of advanced notice."

Zuko was genuinely impressed. "Very nice."

Kenshin stepped up next to Zuko and bowed. "We thank you for the welcome, Your Highness. Have the other delegations arrived yet?"

"Yes, they have, though the Northern Water Tribe delegates didn't arrive until just yesterday. The others arrived a few days earlier."

"The others?"

"The swampbenders are here too." He sounded both amused and a little mystified. "It's been…interesting, having them around in the palace."

Sokka shrugged good-naturally. "I like those guys. They've got their own kind of style, and a good sense of humor. That's always a plus in my book."

Aang turned towards Zuko. "We wanted to make sure everyone has a voice in the new alliance," he explained. "With you here, everything should be ready now."

"What about the Southern Water Tribe?" Zuko asked. He hadn't seen Hakoda yet, which made him think that he wasn't here.

Sokka sobered at his question, but then straightened up. "Dad wanted to escort the rest of our people back home first, and make sure everything's okay before he left again. He'll be joining us as soon as he can. In the meantime, he appointed me and Katara to represent our people during the conference."

Zuko's pace quickened at hearing her name, but he concentrated on keeping his expression neutral. _So Katara is here…I wonder where she is._

"Katara is out in the city right now," Suki told him, as if she had heard the question in his thoughts. "She should be back here soon."

Even though her words were vague, it seemed to Zuko that she was hinting at more. _Is it possible that she knows? Did Katara tell her about the two of us?_

Kuei starting speaking again, interrupting Zuko's thoughts. "There's going to be a formal dinner tonight for everyone in the main banquet room. Then tomorrow, we'll hold a ceremony here in the front of the palace, celebrating the start of the conference. But for now, let's show you to your rooms."

As they walked into the palace and towards the rooms, Aang and Sokka took turns filling Zuko in on what had happened on their journey and their progress here in the capital. He didn't say much during that time, except for the occasional affirmative response, but neither of the two boys seemed to mind too much. When their party got to Zuko and Kenshin's rooms, the rest said their goodbyes while Zuko and his secretary headed into the first sitting room in Zuko's suite.

Kenshin brought up his satchel and opened it up. "There are a few things I wanted to go over with you first, Your Highness, before this evening's dinner…"

Zuko interrupted his friend, but kept his tone soft. "Later, we will. Right now, there's someone I need to see…at a certain teashop nearby."

"Ah. I understand, Fire Lord Zuko." Kenshin picked up his satchel and bowed. As he turned to leave, he smiled. "Please be sure to pass my regards on to General Iroh."

"I will, Kenshin. Thank you."

Once his friend had left the room, Zuko went into his bedroom. After carefully placing his crown on the nearby dresser, he removed his outer robes until he was in his simple tunic and pants. There would be little enough chances over the next few weeks to be informal, and visiting his uncle after so long apart would be one of them.

Soon he was walking again through the palace, and while several of the palace staff acknowledged him, no one tried to stop him. Back outside the palace, Zuko's steps followed the familiar path back to the upper ring, up past the bubbling fountain until he came to stand outside of the opulent building, proudly bearing the name 'The Jasmine Dragon'.

The large double doors were wide open, and it became immediately clear that it was packed. As Zuko walked through the doors, he saw people everywhere; all the tables were full and there were several people standing around, chatting as they stood with their cups full of steaming tea. He saw at least three people walking around with serving trays, though he had suspicions that there were probably more servers in the back. When he was about halfway to the back of the large shop, a pair of people came through one of the entryways from the back of the shop. His uncle was gesturing towards the other man while he walked, no doubt explaining the intricacies of a particular tea he had created. The thought made Zuko smile.

It didn't take too many more steps before Iroh realized someone new had entered his shop, and when he recognized who it was, his uncle stopped dead in his tracks. Gold eyes met gold eyes, and the two men stared at each other for several moments, wordlessly expressing their relief and joy at seeing one another. A smile grew on his uncle's lips, and—forgetting about the man next to him—immediately came up to Zuko, and engulfed him in a hug. The force of just how much Zuko had missed his uncle's companionship hit him hard then, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he returned the embrace.

It was Iroh who first pulled away and then put a hand on both of Zuko's shoulders. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. "You were a boy when we set out together over three years ago, full of anger and pain, but now…you have become a man, one that is far stronger and wiser than the boy I watched over long ago. You have stayed true to yourself, and to your heart, and for that, I am very proud of you, Zuko."

Bits of pieces of their journey came back to Zuko, and he ducked his head a little as a crooked smile curved his lips. "I can't take all the credit for that...I was fortunate to have a very wise—and patient—mentor." The two shared the smile for a little longer before they let go and Iroh started to lead them to the back.

Iroh turned his attention back to the man he had been talking to previously. "Huan, I will need you to oversee the shop for a little while." Knowing that Zuko didn't want any attention drawn to himself right now, Iroh left out introductions. "I will be out back, visiting with some of my family."

Huan looked at Zuko questioningly, but then turned his attention back to Iroh. "Yes, sir. As you wish."

Zuko followed Iroh to the back of the large shop. There were several steaming pots sitting on the tables, each with a distinct aroma coming from it. His uncle turned to him. "Would you like some tea, nephew? We have several different types: Jasmine, oolong, green…"

Zuko grinned. "I would love some." He came over alongside his uncle and helped retrieve some cups and saucers and poured them both their choices of tea. Once it was ready, Zuko carried the tray and followed his uncle through a door that led out behind the shop. Though it was smaller than the sweeping grounds in front, it was still large. Most of the area was taken up by the garden and the path that swept through it, but there was also a small sitting area, with a table and chairs. Zuko placed the tray on the table as they took their seats on either side. After Zuko took a few sips, he looked across at his uncle.

"The Jasmine Dragon seems to be doing very well."

Iroh chuckled. "Yes it is…almost a little _too_ well, actually. I had to hire on several more people and start buying ingredients from other shops around the city just to keep up with the demand. But it does feel very satisfying to see all those people sitting around, smiling and enjoying the simple pleasures of a cup of tea. It really is a dream come true."

"I'm glad to hear that, uncle." Zuko did feel happy for him. His uncle had been through so much, throughout his entire life, that he deserved to finally find some peace and happiness.

"Your friends stop by often," Iroh added, "and help me out from time to time with things here at the shop."

"Even Katara?" Zuko couldn't help but ask.

His uncle looked at him curiously. "Katara, in particular, has been dropping by here a lot. She usually doesn't stay too long, or say much, but she has been offering to get some special ingredients for me, and she listens to an old man's rambles." He smiled. "She is a very special, and talented, young woman."

"Yes…she is," Zuko barely whispered. His thoughts then turned to his uncle's observations on Katara's numerous visits to the shop. Zuko wondered if he ever crossed her mind whenever she came here to the shop. The cynical part of his mind told him he was being too presumptuous—or hopeful—depending on one's point of view.

His uncle, thankfully, overlooked his sudden silence and continued on about his shop."The Jasmine Dragon has become quite an attraction around the upper ring—thanks in no small part to your friends. Many people have traveled from all over the city to come here and drink where the avatar and his companions have sat. I have to admit that it is a good feeling, knowing that we have so many friends and allies here in the city now." Iroh took a long sip of his tea, and as he set it back down, his expression became more serious. "Your friends…they also told me about what has been happening back in the Fire Nation—about the Sons of Sozin. I am worried about you, Zuko."

"It's alright, uncle." Zuko tried to reassure him. "The Sons aren't after me anymore. That's why I was able to leave the city so soon."

"I get the feeling that there is much more to it than that," Iroh answered wryly, "and it is a very long and complicated story."

"It is. But it won't be a problem anymore."

His uncle studied him for a while before he said anything. "If you say it is so, nephew, then I believe you." His tone became more sympathetic. "You have already had to deal with so much in such a short amount of time. Running a nation is a lot of responsibility to shoulder."

"Yes it is…" Zuko quietly agreed with him. "For so many years, all I could think about was inheriting the throne, and thinking about all the power that came with it. Now that I have it...it's not all what I thought it was going to be." Ghosts of different memories past through his mind as he spoke. "It's a heavy duty—knowing that all those people depend on me to protect them and their way of life."

Iroh nodded in understanding. "There is an essential balance inherit with the right to rule. True leaders understand that with great power, comes great responsibility, and the knowledge that you are responsible for another person's life." He shook his head sadly. "This is something my brother never fully understood. He only ever saw the position of Fire Lord as a means of extending his own personal power—and it was that skewed vision that led him to quickly abuse that power. But you, Zuko, already know what it means to rule, and that is how I know that you will make a wise and just Fire Lord—one that will bring balance and peace back to our nation."

"How can you be so sure of that, Uncle? What if I make another huge mistake, like I did the last time I was here in Ba Sing Se?"

"I can be sure because I know _you_ , Zuko. You will make mistakes and bad judgment calls in time because failure is a natural part of life, for everyone. But it is how we deal with those mistakes and what we learn from them that shows what kind of person we are."

As Zuko thought over his uncle's words, he already began to feel a little lighter. "Thank you, uncle."

Iroh nodded slightly. "Knowing when to listen to others and ask for help is another important trait for any leader. You already have learned much that will help you on your journey as Fire Lord…however, there is another skill you must learn if you wish to have a truly meaningful and successful reign."

"Really?" Zuko leaned forward eagerly. "What is it?"

Iroh suddenly grinned widely. "Why…to have fun, of course!"

Zuko didn't try to hide the disbelief, or sarcasm, in his voice, "to have fun…?"

"Yes, nephew. One must enjoy life in order to truly appreciate it. The mind needs rest and relaxation just like any other part of the body. You could get a hobby-"

"-like drinking tea and playing pai sho for hours on end…"

"Precisely. _Or_ read a poem, take a walk in the garden…anything to take your mind off of things for a moment. You will find that if you do, you will be much more focused and relaxed the next time you are in your office, or in a meeting."

"I don't have time for that kind of stuff, uncle."

"It's not about _having_ time, nephew—it's about _making_ time. You need to make sure that you are still taking care of yourself, and making time for others." A mischievous light entered his uncle's eyes. "…like for a special lady friend."

Zuko swallowed hard, forgetting for the moment that he had just taken a sip of hot tea…and then gasped for breath as the liquid burned all the way down his throat. Iroh seemed to take all of this as a sign that he had stumbled upon the truth. "Ah, so you already _have_ found a nice girl! That is excellent news, nephew," he scratched his chin thoughtfully, "though a little unexpected, I have to admit-"

"-I _don't_ have a girlfriend," Zuko finally managed to get out, after he had recovered himself. He looked away, staring off into the distance. _Because I was the one who pushed her away…and now it's up to me to take the next step._ He had lots of time—over a week—to think about what he was going to do when he saw Katara again, and he had made his decision. He had to find Katara and explain to her the reasoning behind his decisions; to try to get her to understand why he had done what he did that day she left. After all the pain that he had caused her, he owed her at least that much. Deep down in his heart, he hoped that she would forgive him…and give them another chance. But whether or not that was still a possibility remained to be seen.

"-Zuko?"

There was concern in Iroh's voice, but Zuko couldn't bring himself to talk about it to his uncle—not yet at least. "I'm fine, Uncle." Zuko could tell that his uncle wasn't buying it, but Zuko quickly changed the subject, in hopes that his uncle would drop the matter. "So, who are the new people you hired in the shop?"

Still frowning, his uncle nonetheless took the hint, and answered his question. "Huan had been a loyal customer from the start—and he definitely knew his tea—so he was an easy choice. It didn't take too long, though, to realize I would need much more help to keep up with the growing demand…"

Zuko listened as Iroh continued his conversation about the shop with growing enthusiasm. And he had to admit, it did feel good—sitting there and listen to his uncle talk about something so passionately. As the afternoon passed, the two of them talked about many different things, from the Fire Nation to Ba Sing Se to their past journeys. Sometime along the way, Zuko realized that he felt much more calm and relaxed there, in his uncle's presence, than he had in a long time. Soon, however, the afternoon turned into evening, signaling Zuko to take his leave. He had a lot to prepare for.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Yay, Iroh has finally arrived in the story! I love Iroh so much and it was driving me a little crazy waiting so long for him to appear in my story! Hopefully I did him justice :-) Thanks for reading!


	20. An Expert on Hope

Katara strode quickly down the large halls of Ba Sing Se's palace. She wasn't quite running—it was more like a fast walk—to the banquet room in the center of the palace. None of her friends were in their rooms, which meant they were already there, and probably wondering where she was. She hadn't wanted to show up the celebration early—for several reasons—but she hadn't wanted to be later either.

Right before she got to the central room, Katara spied a large mirror hanging amongst the elaborate paintings, and stopped to check her appearance. She had only taken a moment in her room to clean up, brush out her braided hair, and put on a fresh outfit of her blue and white dress. After straightening and smoothing out her clothes, Katara took a deep breath, and slowly approached one of the side entrances to the banquet room. Thankfully there wasn't anyone right next to the doorway, and she entered the enormous room virtually unnoticed.

Even though the room was large enough to house Katara's entire village, with room to spare, it was still packed with people. There were foreign dignitaries scattered all around the room, but the majority were Ba Sing Se's own well-to-do citizens that played some part in its bureaucracy or politics. She didn't see her friends in the immediate crowd, so she slowly began to make her way through the throng of people towards it center, where she hoped to find them. Her instincts were right on; there, towards the middle of the room, stood Aang, Sokka, and Suki in a circle with a couple of the swampbenders. All her friends were wearing their best: Aang in his ceremonial airbender robes, Suki in her traditional Kyoshi Warrior outfit...even her brother had cleaned up for the affair, and had put on his water tribe armor on—minus the helmet. Aang spotted her first and waved excitedly.

"Katara, you're here!"

She smiled as she came up to her friends. "Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late."

"We were beginning to wonder if we needed to send out a search party," Suki teased her, which also made Aang smile. Sokka, however, only frowned deeper.

"While I think it's great that you're helping out at the infirmary, Katara, you can't start neglecting your other duties; we have a responsibility now as representatives of our people."

She gave her brother one of those looks—one that expressed her irritation with his ridiculous behavior at the moment. "Yes, Sokka, I'm aware of that and I _am_ taking it seriously. I was just running a little late, that's all."

"Being punctual is important to maintaining a good impression, and I don't think—hey!" Sokka yelped as Suki elbowed him and looked at her in surprise. Suki planted her hands on her hips.

"I'm sure Katara realizes all of that, Sokka. We've all just been really busy, lately." She then leaned closer and threaded her arms through his. "Tonight and tomorrow is all about celebrating how far we've come and what we've accomplished." As she began smiling, Sokka seemed to loosen up and smile as well. "So…just relax and have some fun tonight, okay sweetie?"

"Suki's right." Aang flashed Katara a quick smile. "The whole reason for the dinner tonight and for the ceremony tomorrow is to help bring all of us together in a spirit of camaraderie—to let loose and have fun."

Katara glanced around at some of the brightly dressed people in the crowded room before addressing Aang. "Both you and Kuei were in on this, weren't you?" When he nodded, she couldn't help but add, "Well, I guess that explains the larger-than-average juggler and bear population of the palace at the moment."

"Kuei said he brought in some top-of-the-line performers for tonight—and from the little bit I've already seen of them, he's right."

Katara made a face. "Yeah, it's probably some buddies of his, back from when he was playing hide and seek in Tianjin."

Her brother sighed happily at its mention. "Ah, man that place had it all…the best roasted turkey-hen legs, warm pearapple cider, and flaming-mace jugglers in the nation."

"Yeah, the jugglers were good," Aang agreed, "but the sixteen-person building block team was the best. I never thought you could make an upside down pyramid with people, but I'm glad they proved me wrong."

"Okay, they get points for being original, but really, watching how they have to bend to get in some of those shapes…" Sokka shivered slightly, "is a little unsettling."

Aang and Sokka continued to debate good-naturally about the various shows that had seen in the city, but Katara stopped following the conversation. She didn't remember Tianjin as fondly as her friends…in fact, the entire last month seemed a dark and foggy haze to her—one that she'd just as soon forget. Suki must have seen something of a look on her face, because she let go of Sokka's arm and came closer to Katara.

"So, how is everyone at the cottage?"

"They're doing fine, and already wanting to know when you're coming back, especially Kai and Maya."

"They are quite a handful, aren't they? I do miss them though. I'll try to stop either tomorrow or the day after." The smile on her friend's face slowly disappeared as she turned more serious. Her voice became much softer, and cautious. "I'm not sure if you heard…Zuko arrived at the palace earlier this morning."

"I know," Katara answered quietly, "I heard the pronouncements."

"And I guess that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you showed up late tonight…"

Katara suddenly became occupied with straightening her dress again. _Yes, Suki, you know me better than I care to admit right now._ "There was a lot to do at the infirmary. I just lost track of time…that's all."

"Mm hmm." Suki didn't seem convinced. "So then you probably wouldn't be interested to know that he was over here while ago asking about you."

"What?!" There was a triumphant look on her friend's face at her reaction—or over-reaction, as was the case. Katara quickly tried to school her features and pulled her friend a little further away from the group. "What do you mean he was asking about me? What exactly did he say?"

"Well, he didn't say too much—you know how he is…"

"Just tell me, Suki!"

"Okay, okay." Her friend relented. "First he asked if you were already here at the banquet room. I told him that you weren't, but would probably show up any moment now; you were just running a little late." Suki smiled mischievously. "He tried not to show it, but I could tell that he was happy when I said that…and a little nervous."

Katara's heart skipped a beat at the news. "Did he say anything else?"

"He asked how you've been doing lately. I told him you were keeping busy, and explained about the infirmary you've been volunteering at. He smiled a little after I told him that, and said that sounded just like you."

She looked away from her friend. "Is that so?"

"Yup. I asked him if everything was okay, and he said that he just needed to talk to you—in private. I tried to get a little more out of him, but he only repeated himself and then said he had to go find some dignitary. I haven't seen him again since then."

 _He already made it painfully clear that our relationship is to be professional only, so why does he want to talk to me alone?_ She hugged her arms around her waist. _Talking in front of the others was going to be bad enough, but just the two of us alone? I-I just can't. There's too much between us. He has no right to ask that…not after what happened._ Her hands fell back to her side, her fists tightening in resolve.

"I could go try to find him-" Suki offered.

"-No, Suki." Katara coolly interrupted the other girl. "If he has something to tell me, he can say it in front of the others later tonight." She already saw the objection in her friend's eyes, but she couldn't talk about it anymore. _I can't keep doing this...it's too painful._ "I need to get something to drink…" She lied. "I'll be back in a moment."

"Alright," Suki answered, a little sadly. "See you in a bit."

Katara started walking away, but soon she heard her name shouted, and turned to see her brother come up towards her. He had that slightly pained, guilty-but-trying-to-not-look-guilty expression on his face, so she decided to be diplomatic and hear out whatever he had to say.

"Hey…sis."

"Yes, Sokka?"

He tugged on his armor a little nervously and then cleared his throat. "Uh, Aang and Kuei said that the dinner is going to start here in a little bit. We have assigned seating—we've going to be sitting right next to Aang—and we'll need to formally introduce ourselves to the other delegates before we begin."

"Alright, Sokka…" She knew that there was something else on his mind—she could see it written all over his face. She didn't have long to wait.

"And I, uh, also wanted to tell you that…" He stumbled over his words for a little bit, but then he took a deep breath and looked back up at her. "Look, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for getting onto you earlier—about being late. I know you're going to do a great job with this representative thing. I guess I'm just a little nervous about it; having to step into dad's shoes and all. I don't want to let him down."

Thinking about their dad brought a small smile to her lips. "I know you won't, Sokka, and dad knows that too; that's why he trusted us to handle this."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and then smiled. "Yeah, I guess he did, didn't he?" He brightened up. "Thanks, Katara."

Maybe it was due to some of the slight gushiness in his words, or the fact that he actually apologized to her, but on the impulse she went up and gave him a short quick hug, which he returned. "You're welcome." She released him and then smirked. "And apology accepted."

"Something tells me you're not going to let me forget this conversation, are you?"

"You got it."

Sokka slapped a hand over his eyes as he groaned. But when a server walked past them with a tray of appetizers, his nose suddenly twitched and one of his hands grabbed his stomach. His gaze firmly attached to the tray of food as it slowly inched further away from them. "Hey, I'll catch up with you in a moment…okay, Katara?"

"Sure," she told him, but her brother was already beelining for his destination. Shaking her head, she put her brother's antics out of her mind and decided to go try to find Aang. She headed back to where she last saw him, weaving in and out of the clusters of people in between. A sudden break in the crowd ahead of her revealed a man and woman slowly walking in her direction. Katara had never seen the woman before, but she froze when she recognized the small, wiry man: it was Kenshin, Zuko's secretary.

Without thinking, she turned on her heels and began walking the opposite direction. She didn't even think about where she was going; she let her feet guide her through the crowd. She finally slowed when she reached one of the open doorways leading off from banquet hall, and was relieved to be alone, even if for just a moment. _What am I doing? I'm going to have to see him sooner or later. I mean, it's not like I'm scared to see him, I just… I mean, I don't even know what he wanted to talk to me about._ The sound of footsteps further down the hallway startled her. When Katara saw it was another pair of dignitaries heading to the reception, she made herself relax. _I'm probably just making more out of this than it really is. I…I should go find Aang and the others, before it gets too late._ Her mind made up, she swiveled back around and took a step forward, but her gaze was still looking downwards—otherwise she would have realized she was about to crash into somebody.

"-Ugh!" She grunted as she bounced off of the warm body. Embarrassed, she began to apologize as she lifted her head up to look at the other person. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what-" She cut off as her eyes finally found the golden eyes staring down at her, and she gasped. It felt like all the air had been sucked out of her. She finally managed a whisper. "Zuko…"

"Katara," Zuko uttered, a little out of breath as well. His surprise quickly changed to something akin to wonderment as he continued to gaze deep down into her eyes. She had forgotten just how vivid his golden eyes were—and how much power was in them. Somehow, all the thoughts and doubts that had been in her mind just moments before were temporarily swept away. She was once again losing herself in those swirls of bright, burnished gold and darker amber hues that would often change, reflecting his mood. Right now, they were very warm and bright as they trailed away from her eyes to take in the curve of her nose, the blush of her cheeks, and down to her lips before quickly coming back up again. It was then that Katara realized that they were still standing quite close, with their faces merely inches away.

As her doubts and fears came crashing back in, she finally tore her eyes away from his and stepped away. She had thought that after being apart for so many weeks, her feelings towards him would have lessened…but they hadn't. If anything, they seemed stronger now, and were quickly tearing apart all the walls that she had tried to erect around herself. _But it can't be like that between us anymore. I'm supposed to act only as his friend…but I can't._ Without meeting his gaze, she softly told him, "I have to go. I need to find Aang and the others."

She turned to leave, but he quickly caught her arm. "Wait!" He told her. Katara tried to pull away, but Zuko firmly held onto her, "Don't go yet."

Her temper finally surfaced at his words. Still looking away, she asked him, "And why not?"

"Because I…" he seemed to hesitate over the words, "…I just want to talk."

"Oh, _now_ you want to talk?" She welcomed the anger right now. It hardened her and made it easier for her to look back into his golden eyes, and not give in. "Last time we 'talked', you told me that you have responsibilities now—that you have to think like a leader, and not just as an individual. So tell me…is this 'Zuko' talking, or the 'Fire Lord'?"

He visibly flinched at her question, and took his hand away. There was both guilt and sadness in his voice as he slowly answered her. "I'm asking as a friend—even though I know I probably don't deserve to be called one after what I did…" His eyes flickered down for a moment as he faltered, but when he looked up at her again, she saw a new determination in his eyes. "But that's why I need to talk to you…to tell you the reason behind what I did."

"I already know the reason. You made that perfectly clear the last time we saw each other. I don't need to hear it again."

"Katara-" She tried to turn away, but the power and the need she heard in his voice stopped her. "I know I've hurt you, and there's not a day or a minute that has gone by that I don't think of that and hate myself for it." He squeezed his eyes shut in pain, and stopped to take a shaky breath. When he looked back up at her, his golden eyes pleaded with hers. "I can't ask you to forgive me, but please…just give me a chance to explain."

"There's no need, because I understand. You're the Fire Lord now. You had a choice to make, and it…" her voice was so thick with emotion that it was a struggle to get the words out. "…and it was the one that didn'tinclude me." Unable to stand his gaze any longer, she turned her back to him.

"That's where you're wrong," Zuko answered softly. "You were in _every_ decision I made. Ever since the night you were attacked, all I could think about was you…and how to protect you. Nothing else mattered except for that."

She tried to take a calming breath. "I know you wanted to protect me, but I can take care of myself. I've managed just fine since I've left my village."

"I probably know that better than most. But the Sons are different from anything you or I have fought before. That night, after the dance, I didn't even know who inside my own palace that I would trust-".

"-which is exactly why I should have stayed with you. I can't protect you if I'm half a world away..." She had to concentrate to keep her voice steady. "But I guess that's why you sent me on that mission with Aang and the others."

He sighed softly. "Yes. I used them as a way to convince you to leave. You weren't going to leave on your own free will, so I did what I thought was necessary...to keep you safe. Your safety was the _only_ reason in my mind."

Katara thought about their conversation on the day she had left, and her temper flared. She turned around to face him again, her hands tightening into fists. "And so that made it okay to leave me in the dark and push me away?"

"No, it doesn't-"

"-So tell me why you did it."

Zuko looked suddenly confused. "I..I just wanted to protect you."

She shook her head. "There's more to it than that. Zuko, you and I have been in a lot of dangerous situations together. You and I went all over western seas searching for Yon Rha, barging into entire ships full of firebenders where we were outnumbered thirty to one, and you never once tried to hold me back. And it was the two of us— _together_ —that faced off your insanely talented firebending sister during the middle of Sozin's comet, and that broke into the southern prison to free Hina and the others. So you tell me, what changed between now and then?"

Zuko looked down, and his hand came up to his chest to touch something she couldn't see right under his robes. "You're right, something did change. I didn't fully realize it until the night of my coronation ceremony. When the Sons of Sozin attacked and I saw you on the floor, covered in your own blood, something took hold of me then...and I knew what it meant." When he finally looked back up at her, there was something in his gaze that completely captivated her. "At that moment, I knew you were so much more than just a friend...you had quickly become the bright center to my universe, and the thought that there were people out there trying to kill you, it...it terrified me. I've never felt so scared _and_ helpless at the same time. After that night, all I could think about was how you nearly _died_ because of me-" his voice trembled slightly "-and I...I couldn't let that happen again—even if it meant losing you in the process..."

Katara's anger, which had been dwindling with every word he uttered, had now completely vanished as she saw the depths of his pain written across his every feature. _Do I really mean that much to him?_ Katara involuntarily hugged her sides as his words sunk in. _So he really does care for me. I guess I can see why he did what he did, but still...I should have been given a choice._

Zuko must have taken her silence for indecision. He took a deep breath, probably in an attempt to steady himself, but his words were still a little rushed, as if he was still very nervous. "After the attack, I just reacted as quickly as I could, but without really thinking it through. I know that I shouldn't have deceived you and forced you into leaving against your will. I made a terrible mistake—and I know it doesn't make up for what I did—but I wanted to tell you that…I'm sorry."

There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but she didn't have a clue as to where to begin. Unconsciously, she started twirling the little dragon on her bracelet, and when she realized what she was doing, it came to her. "Do you remember that day in the palace, when you gave me that little dragon charm?

"Yeah," he answered, clearly surprised by her question, "I remember it."

"It was such a small thing, and you had just bought it on a whim… and yet, even with everything that had happened, the crazy thing is that I couldn't get rid of it…because it was something that you had given to me. I even put it on the bracelet I'm wearing, as a little reminder—of what we used to have." Her heart was pounding in her ears as she started walking towards him, closing the gap between them. "I guess there was always a little part of me that believed in you—that believed in _us_ —and refused to give up."

The smallest wisp of a smile finally materialized on his lips. "Well, I guess you are the expert on hope."

Katara smiled now too at their little joke. "Yeah, I guess so."

His smile disappeared as he became serious once again. But this time, Zuko didn't appear nervous. In fact, he appeared quite sure of himself. "Katara, you asked me a moment ago if I was speaking as Zuko, or as the Fire Lord, and you had every right to ask. I have a lot of responsibilities now, and a lot of people that depend on me and the decisions I make. But underneath all of that, I'm still the same person who stood in front of you that day in the palace." The fire that she saw in his gaze now simply amazed her, and she found it difficult to breathe as he leaned forward. They were so close now she swore she could feel the heat coming off of him. "It doesn't matter if I am supposed to be the Fire Lord or just Zuko, because the truth is that no matter what I'm doing, I can't stop thinking about you. I know now that I need to be true to my myself and my feelings...and my feelings for you haven't changed."

"Zuko…" Ever since her talk with Suki, Katara had wanted to hear those words from him—and had even dreamed about it. To finally hear them now, standing in front of him, felt overwhelming. Before she realized it, her hand reached up and gently cupped the side of his face, where both smooth flesh and scarred tissue met. Zuko's eyes slowly closed as he leaned into the warmth of her hand, and softly sighed. They had both wanted—needed—this moment, this connection for so long, that neither said a word as they savored this simple touch. Katara found herself hungrily studying those features that her memories could never perfectly capture; the way his flawless pale skin contrasted against the roughness of his scar, the strong outline of his jaw, the perfect shape of his lips…

Her thoughts were interrupted as Zuko placed his hand over hers, and finally opened his eyes. The warm, golden light that shined from them was so strong now that it took her breath away. "I almost can't believe…for so long now, I've wanted to tell how I really felt-" He stopped to take a larger breath, but then his eyes suddenly slid off to her right, studying something behind her. He slowly lowered their hands and let go of hers, his expression becoming serious.

"What is it?" She asked him quietly as she turned to look behind her.

"It's nothing, just some staff members."

She saw the two people walking further down the hall, but they were heading the other direction, and soon disappeared down another hallway. When she turned back to Zuko, his expression was thoughtful. "As much as I want to continue this, we should probably go somewhere a little less…public."

"I agree, but right now Aang and the others will be expecting me, and probably you too."

He nodded. "Can we talk somewhere later tonight?"

The idea sent her pulse racing. "Sure. Do you know where the water garden is here at the palace?"

"No, but I should be able find it easy enough," Zuko added confidently. "So…after dinner, then?"

Katara smiled then, a genuine smile that she could really feel, right down to her toes. "Yes, after dinner." A beautiful smile appeared on his lips, sending a wave of butterflies throughout her stomach. She had forgotten how easy it was for him to have that effect on her.

"Alright." As he turned back to the banquet room, the smile disappeared, but she could still see that familiar warmth in his eyes. "Until later…"

"Until later," she repeated, and watched him walk back into the large room.

Katara knew she should be going too, but she needed a moment to process what just happened and calm her racing heart. They were still so many questions left unanswered and uncertain possibilities that she knew she shouldn't get ahead of herself, but was hard not to. She was so consumed by her thoughts, in fact, that she didn't hear the new pair of footsteps coming towards her until they stopped just a few feet away.

"Excuse me ma'm?" When she looked over at the man, who was obviously a palace guard, he respectfully bowed to her. "Are you Lady Katara, the waterbender who is traveling with the Avatar?"

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, but I have a child at the palace entrance that is asking for you. I usually don't take this kind of thing seriously, but the boy is very insistent, and he seems to know you personally."

Katara felt uneasy at this news, because she already had a guess on who it was. Nevertheless, she still had to ask. "What is his name?"

"He said his name is Kai. He also said it was urgent to see you. Do you know this boy, Lady Katara? If not, I can have him removed from the premises."

"Yes, I know him." Katara knew she didn't really have time to go on a side journey, but right now all she could think about was seeing the small boy. If Kai had journeyed all the way from the lower ring to the palace, something serious must have happened, and her instincts told her that it wouldn't be good. "Please take me to him."

"Yes, My Lady."

It seemed to take hours to reach the front of the palace, though in reality it was probably less than half an hour. Katara's mind kept thinking up things that could have gone wrong at the cottage, despite her attempts to stay positive. When she finally saw Kai, she had to restrain herself from running to greet him. Kai, on the other hand, had no such restraints.

"Katara!" She knelt to the ground right before he got to her, and he quickly wrapped his small arms around her for a hug. When he leaned back to look her in the eyes, she could see his eyes were puffy and red-rimmed from crying. "You have to help! It's Maya. She's really, really sick and Song has been trying to help her but she's getting worse. You have to heal her!"

Katara focused on keeping her expression and tone normal, so as not to alarm him. "Does Samira know what's going on? Is she there at the cottage too?"

"No, she isn't," the small boy answered in despair, "And I went to her house but she's not there either. I didn't know what else to do but to get you, Katara. Please, you have to help her!"

Katara didn't have to think about her answer. "I will, Kai. I'll help your sister. Just give me one moment, and then we'll leave to go see, okay?"

Kai nodded, a little calmer now. "Okay."

Standing up, she addressed the guard once more. "What's your name?"

"My name?" The question threw the man off guard, "I, uh…I mean, my name is Het-Chan, my lady."

"Alright Het-Chan, I need to ask a favor of you." When he nodded, she continued. "I need you to find Aang, the Avatar, and tell him that an emergency came up at the cottage and I have to go help. Tell him I'm not sure how long it will take, so I might not be back until later tonight, but not to worry."

"Wait…" Het-Chan asked hesitantly, "You want me to go up and talk to _the_ Avatar? What if he won't listen to me?"

She gave him an encouraging smile. "He will. He's a very nice, down-to-earth person, trust me. He definitely won't bite."

The other man relaxed at her words. "Yes, my lady, I will relay your message. Is there anyone else you would like to send one to?"

Katara hesitated. "Tell the Fire L-" She cut off in mid-sentence, changing her mind. "Never mind. That'll be all."

Het-Chan bowed and then quickly headed back inside the palace. Katara turned back to Kai. "Come, let's go see your sister."

At first, the small boy kept pace with Katara as they journeyed down to the Lower Ring, but when Kai started lagging behind, Katara picked him up and carried him piggy-back style the rest of the way. By the time the two of them reached the infirmary, Katara was already feeling tired from the hurried pace she had set herself, but she tried to ignore it. She set Kai down and followed him as he led her through the hallways to the room where Maya stayed. Song, who had been sitting alongside Maya's bed, stood up when she saw Katara, her expression surprised, but relieved.

"Katara, I'm glad that Kai found you." Katara came up to the other side of Maya's bed and bent over to look at her as the other woman kept talking. "Maya was feeling fine this morning, but by the afternoon she was complaining of headaches and that her stomach was hurting her. I gave her some herbs that should have helped, but she only got worse as the hours progressed. She has some kind of fever now, and her breathing is getting more and more shallow as time goes on. I haven't been able to get her to take any more medicine—she won't wake up."

Katara's heart dropped as she studied the young girl in front of her. She only had to glance at Maya's pale and splotchy skin and the sweat that covered the small girl's body to confirm Song's story. After checking that there was a water basin nearby that was full, she looked back up at the other woman. "Song, can you take Kai with you and go check on the other patients. I'm going to need to be alone so I can focus on healing her."

"Alright, Katara. Please let me know if you need anything else."

"I will, Song."

Katara pulled a stream of water towards her and then gathered around her hands and she sat and bent over Maya. Closing her eyes, she guided it up and down the girl's body to see where she needed to focus the healing, and what she found startled her. Usually, when she healed a person that was sick, she could feel the unbalanced energy, or the 'wrongness' associated with the illness concentrated in one area. However, with Maya, Katara felt it multiple parts of her body, including in her limbs and around her heart and her brain. The fear that she had come too late to save Maya seeped into her thoughts, but she stubbornly pushed that back. _Maya and Kai are counting on me. I can do this…I have to._ Steeling herself for the monumental task, she took a deep breath and drew deeply on her bending, focusing on saving the precious life in front of her.

When Katara finally opened her eyes again—what must have been hours later—she knew that Maya was going to be just fine. Even though Maya didn't wake up, the small girl's breathing and appearance were back to normal again, setting Katara's fatigued mind at ease. _She's going to be okay. Kai will see his sister again… I should probably tell him and Song…_ She was so exhausted, however, that just the thought of getting up seemed to drain her of her last remaining energy. Her every muscle seemed sore and fatigued, as if she had been healing for days in a row, instead of just hours. The chair she was sitting in suddenly felt very comfortable. _Maybe I'll just rest for a moment, and then find Song and Kai…_

Her head was already lying on the edge of Maya's bed before she had finished the thought. Just before her conscious mind succumbed to its much needed rest, one last image came to her—it was Zuko, giving her that smile that he seemed to save just for her. For the first time in weeks, she slept peacefully.


	21. Into the Dark

**Author's Note** : Whew, I have been traveling and working so much, it feels like my head is still spinning...but I finally had some time to post (yay!) so here it is. Just a couple things before we begin.

First, this chapter is a bit of a doozy, and not just because it is long (even for me), but mostly because of the content in it. It's going to be a roller coaster of a ride, with tons of action and drama, and an ending you'll want to be sitting down for, so to speak.

On another note, I've recently been reading through the fanfiction subreddit (as I so often do) and I've been reading posts on reader feedback that surprised me a little. While there are a lot of reasons why people don't post feedback (probably most of this being time restraints, which I totally get as I am victim to this too), I was surprised to find out that some readers don't post because they are afraid of how the writer will respond, either because they believe the writer will criticize their feedback or give harsh/rude responses in return. I guess fanfiction has changed since I first started reading/writing like a decade ago, because back then this wasn't really heard of, and to be honest I am a little sad to hear this is happening. Maybe it's my strict southern upbringing, but I was taught never to be rude to strangers and to always be polite (especially when you are being given something), so the thought that writers are being rude to readers leaving reviews with good intentions is appalling to me. So just to be clear, I wanted to let my readers know that no matter what kind of review you leave (whether it's constructive criticism or just something short and sweet), I won't give harsh/rude comments in return (even if someone leaves me a nasty comment, the most I do is just ignore and delete it). I welcome feedback of all kinds -just knowing people are out there reading my story is very exciting and humbling at the same time-and I absolutely love reading reviews. Thanks to everyone who has been leaving comments on my story, I really appreciate it :-) Okay, enough of my yapping...time for the story (and hold onto your seats)!

* * *

Complete darkness surrounded the two small figures as they slowly and silently made their way through the long, underground tunnel. Eyesight was rendered useless in the pitch black, forcing them to use their other senses to navigate its path, but that didn't bother either one of them. Liem has spent most of his life on the rooftops of the city at night, and was used to having to find his way in the dark, and Toph…well, the earthbender could 'see' better than most people could, with or without the light. And that was the sole reason why he trusted to follow her blindly into this madness. The kid had done so many 'unbelievable' feats right in front of his eyes that he ceased to question what was possible anymore. It also made him very thankful that she was on their side.

Liem heard Toph's soft footsteps ahead of him come to a stop, so he followed the slight sound of her breathing until he was right next to her. He placed both his hands on the ground and squatted next to her—and nearly let out a curse as a sharp ache spiraled up through his entire arm. His right arm still wasn't fully healed from his previous encounter with the Sons of Sozin, forcing him to favor his left arm for most tasks. They had told him he needed to rest some more, but he would be damned if he spent one more day in that cursed healing room, with nothing to do but stare at blank walls. It was enough to drive any sane person mad. Lucky for him, Toph had sympathized with his plight and agreed to let him come along with her; no doubt because she had just gone through the same torture—or healing, if one could even call it that.

The eartbender had already begun making trips down into the tunnels underneath Caldera Lake, to learn as much of the Son's main hideout as possible without attracting any attention. She had learned that there were four entrances from the city that would lead down to the Son's main chamber; one from each compass direction. The two of them had come back to the northern entrance this time, to see if they could learn anything new. When Toph finally spoke, she kept her voice low, but it was full of surprise.

"Something's different this time."

"What do you mean?"

"We're further down in the tunnels than I've been able to get in the last few times. They usually have more sentries posted in the tunnels, and have them closer to the surface. I wasn't able to get this far last time."

"But isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes, but that means something's changed. I wonder…" She paused. "Hold on, let me check something." Liem bit back the flippant remark he had on the edge of his tongue and remained silent. After a few minutes, Toph whispered to him. "Well, now I know why. There's not nearly as many of them as before. I'd say there's thirty or so of them less here now."

"That many?" According to Toph's previous estimates, that would still leave about sixty or so of the Sons left at their headquarters here—far too many still for the two of them to do anything about right now. He voiced his thoughts to his companion. "This is the only place they have left; all the other hideouts have been seized and searched by Zuko's people. Where would such a large group be headed to?"

"Either to find a new place," Toph added grimly, "or because they have a large assignment."

"Knowing how the Son's work, it's probably the latter." A thought suddenly struck Liem. "You don't they'd be going after-"

"-Goro and his buddies in the Prison Tower," the other girl finished his sentence for him. "Yeah, I'm starting to think that too." A sense of urgency entered her words. "We need to head to the Prison Tower, pronto."

Liem began to stand up. "For once, I really hope that we're both wrong."

"Me too."

They didn't say anything further as they turned around and headed back up the tunnel to the surface. Their steps were much less cautious and more hurried this time, and soon enough they were back on the moonlit streets of the city, just north of Caldera Lake. Back in his familiar terrain, Liem led his friend through alleyways in a direct line for the prison tower. Even in the dark, it was easy to pick out the tall, imposing structure of the tower against the great wall. It was still some distance away, so it was impossible to tell if anything was out of place.

He turned to Toph. "So, can you can a read on the place yet?"

"If you'd just give me a moment-"

The peals of a loud, deep gong broke through the silent night air, cutting off the rest of what Toph had to say. The ringing was coming at short, regular intervals from the same direction as the tower. It could only mean one thing. The Sons of Sozin were already in the tower.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Liem stated sourly.

Toph yanked on his sleeve. "Come on, Scrawny, we've got to book it."

"After you, fearless leader."

The two of them ran up the long, narrow path heading to the base of the tower. They didn't meet a single soul as they came into the building, so they made their way for the stairways. As they climbed up its steps, the sounds of fighting started to drift down them. It was chaos as they reached the third floor. Palace guards were fighting dark-clad assassins in such close quarters that it was hard to tell who was who. Liem was about to step into the fray when Toph grabbed his arm.

"Wait," she told him, and when he stood his ground she let go. Widening her stance, she thrust one arm forward and began making cutting motions with the other, in some kind of bending move. Liem looked back at the mass of men and noticed that the assassins suddenly stopped moving, due to the stone that now encased their feet. Then long, dark ribbons of something quickly wrapped themselves around the chest and hands of the black-clothed men, securely tying them up. When he looked closer, he realized the ribbon was in fact the metal bars from the prison doors right behind the men. One by one, Toph quickly immobilized the assassins in the hallway in front of them. The palace guards seemed shocked as well, until they looked over and saw the short earthbender. When one of the larger guards stepped towards them, Liem realized it was Masato.

"Toph, Liem-" Masato addressed them calmly, even though his expression was stony and grim. "It's good to see you here. This was just a small cluster that splintered off the main group. The rest of them went up to the upper levels of the tower."

Toph nodded. "They're going after Goro and rest of their buddies."

"It has to be. They're all on the fifth level of the tower."

Liem looked back at the small group of guards behind Masato. They only numbered at a half a dozen. "Do you have any more guys with you?"

"This is it, plus the guards that were originally stationed here on each level. More of the palace guards should be coming, but I'm not sure when they'll arrive."

"And my earthbending is going to be limited in this place," Toph added, "or I risk bringing the whole tower down on top of us."

"That's a wonderful thought." Liem didn't like the way this situation was stacking up, but what choice did they have? "But the more we wait, the greater the odds are that the Sons have busted their friends out and have joined in on the party."

"Kid's got a point."

Masato looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Then we'll go up together."

A wave of uneasiness came over Liem as they climbed the stairs to the higher floor. Last time they had they faced this many of the Sons, his friends had come out on the winning side, but they had a lot more people with them then and the element of surprise. And thinking about how close he and Toph had come to being nixed at that fight didn't help either.

When they reached the door leading out to the fifth floor, Toph stopped them for a moment. "They've spread out through the level already, but there's two standing by the cells right across from this door."

"Leave it to me and Masato," Liem quickly offered with a smile. He came up and playfully elbowed the big guy in ribs, "Just like in the old days, right pal?"

Masato shook his head ruefully. "Which usually consisted of me having to save your scrawny arse time and time again."

Liem didn't remember it like that, but he figured now was not the time to argue. "Anyways, just make sure to wait a few moments before you follow me out, okay?"

"Yeah, I got it. Go ahead then."

Opening up one of the pouches at his side, Liem opened up a small bag that had some of his special powder in it and grabbed a large handful, some for each hand. Once he put it up, he opened up the door just enough to let him instead and started walking towards the pair of assassins. The black-clad men immediately spotted him as he entered the hallway and took defensive stances. Liem took a few steps towards them until he pretended that he finally spotted them. He held his arms out of front of him defensively, and put as much fear and confusion in his voice and expression as possible.

"Please, don't hurt me! I'm just deliverin' messages, is all. I won't hurt nobody!"

Even though the two men wore some sort of mask covered everything but their eyes, he could see them turn to each other in hesitation of what to do. At this point, they were only a few feet away, which was close enough for Liem's plan to work. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, Liem threw his powder into both of the mens' eyes just as he heard Masato opening the door behind him. The two men gasped and closed their eyes against the pain. While they were still rubbing their eyes, Liem came up and kicked the nearest man across the back of his knees, instantly buckling his legs and dropping him to the floor. Masato was right beside him by then, and he punched the other man right in his middle, doubling the assassin over, and then following with a hard hit right against the man's temple. It was an instant lights out.

Toph and the others quickly joined them, and secured the men before continuing down the curved corridor. Two more assassins tried to come at them, but Masato and his guards quickly overpowered the two and tied them up before heading on. Liem couldn't help but notice that many of the doors of the cells they passed were wide open. The torches along the hallway didn't shed enough light to see within the cells, but there was no need to guess whether or not it was empty. The Sons were already one step ahead of them. Just as he was about to say something, however, Toph, slowed and came to a stop. The others quickly followed suit.

"What is it?" Masato asked with a frown.

Toph's expression looked grim. "There's a large group of the Sons ahead of us. They're heading our direction."

More than one person cursed at this news, but Masato quickly issued some orders, and in just a few seconds they had formed up in a line of sorts. Liem pulled one of his longer daggers with his good arm and stayed off to the side, close to one of the opened cells. As the seconds stretched on, he uttered a quick prayer to Agni, and made sure to grab another handful of his powder.

As dark-clad figures began to materialize out of the shadows of dim-lit corridor, Liem's attention was drawn to the man at the front and center of the group. The man's clothes were dirty and tattered, as is he had been living in them for a while. That, and coupled with the scar that covered the left side of his face, marked him as none other than Goro.

Masato raised his arm, signaling to his guards. The two firebenders on either side of him dropped into a widened stance and punched their fists forward, throwing two large blasts of flame towards Goro and his group. Several of the assassins, including Goro, moved into defensive positions. After they had blocked the attack, they began to move, in uniform, into another bending form, and quickly replicated the move. Liem was mere seconds away from ducking and rolling when he heard an extremely loud and high-pitched squealing and scraping noise just ahead of him. He winced at the piercing noise, but when he focused back at the center of the corridor, he saw something large floating in its center. Toph had her arms outstretched, and Liem realized that the floating barrier was two whole prison doors that she had just ripped from their hinges to use as a shield. And it wasn't a moment too soon.

A second later, a fire blast that was about five times bigger than the one Masato's guards had made crashed into Toph's barrier. The clash of fire and metal was deafening. The concussion bent the doors outward and pushed Toph back, but she strained against the attack as if she was pushing the whole thing with her very arms. Stubbornly, she held out, until finally the flames subsided. Still holding the doors in midair, she squared her shoulders and pulled her arms in. Stepping forward with her left foot, she pushed both of hands out in front of her, and if pushing them away. The doors in front of her copied the movement, and were thrown forward, right into the center of Goro's group.

Liem had to admit, despite how much he despised Goro, the man had quick reflexes. He immediately dropped to the ground and flattened himself, just missing the large projectiles by mere inches. Many of his surrounding comrades, however, were not so lucky.

Goro yelled something as he got back up, and one of the assassins next to him that had also just recovered handed him something. Liem realized that is was a piece of cloth, one that Goro quickly tied around his head to cover his mouth. This baffled him, until he noticed that all the Sons had masks over their mouth. In a moment of clarity, he realized why.

Masato, Toph, and the guards were already moving towards the assassins to try to seize them. "Wait!" He yelled at them. "Get away from them. They-" Too late, several small cylinders hit the ground ahead of him and around his friends. Amongst the popping and hissing, smoke immediately began to rise up into the air. But this wasn't just ordinary smoke. "-have poison," Liem choked out as the first tendrils snaked out towards him. He recognized the smell of this one—it was meant to quickly disable an enemy by making them disoriented and nauseous to the point that they passed out. Already he could hear his friends coughing and hacking as the poison invaded their airways. Part of him wanted to charge ahead to his friends, but the high concentrations of poison there would overwhelm his smaller build before he could be of any use. He had to think of something else.

Liem took a deep breath and then held it as he started walking backwards. _Think, you dim-witted dolt. I have to do something… but what?_ He had no sooner asked the question though, when an assassin materialized out of the smoke right in front of him. Reacting on instinct, Liem threw the powder he had been saving in his right hand at the man's face, hopefully to disable him. But the poison was already affecting him, making him sluggish and throwing off his aim. What was meant to hit the man in the eyes and nose actually hit right in his chin and neck, but it was enough to delay the assassin's sword swing towards him. Liem ducked and could feel the air draft of the sword as it sliced just above his head. He then threw himself forward and slid along the ground towards his opponents' legs. As he was alongside the assassin, he took his dagger and sliced up and across the back of the man's left knee, severing the tendon.

The man screamed in pain and instantly dropped to the ground. Liem tried to quickly stand up, but a wave of dizziness came over him, making him stumble. His right arm had also throbbing in pain again, and his mind felt fuzzy. It was becoming a chore just to try to think of what to do next. He made himself put one foot in front of another, in attempt to get further away from the poison. He had to keep walking.

Suddenly a large force crashed into Liem, and his whole world started spinning as he and the other solid mass hurled through the air. The dizziness had experienced just a moment ago was nothing compared to this. He didn't know up from down as he crashed onto the floor flat on his back. The impact knocked the breath he had been holding out, and it took a moment before the air could rush back into his lungs. When he opened his eyes, everything spun dizzily for a few moments, and it took every ounce of his willpower not to vomit right then and there. As the nausea finally subsided enough for him to focus on his surroundings, he realized that he was in one of the empty prison cells. That was about as far as his scouting got, because the solid mass next him moved into his field of vision. It was the same assassin.

The man pulled a short sword from his belt and moved in closer as he raised his arms higher. Liem knew what was about to happen. Ignoring the pain in his arm, he whipped his right arm towards his chest and used his left hand to reach inside his right sleeve. As the short sword began its path towards Liem's upper torso, he focused all his energy and agility into this one last move. _Please Agni, let it hit the mark._ His small dagger flew out of his hand and towards his enemy, but before it had finished its journey Liem started rolling away from his opponent. A second later, he heard the distinct noise of metal cutting into flesh, and a loud, gurgling noise emerge from the man. His sword clattered to the ground, and when Liem looked back over, he saw his dagger stuck right through the center of the man's throat.

White, hot pain flared up his right arm as he tried to move. His vision wavered again, forcing him to close his eyes and lay back down. The dizziness came back again, stronger than it had before. He struggled, moment by moment, to fight through the pain and nausea and not let it take him under. At some point, he heard voices, but they seemed so far away, and they couldn't penetrate through the haze that clouded his mind.

Liem wasn't sure how long he laid there in that inert state. Ever so slowly, the pain began to fade away, taking some of the dizziness with it, until he was able to open his eyes once again. He was lying by the wall of one of the small prison cells, covered in shadows that made it hard to see. His gaze immediately focused on the figure in front of him, laying nearly an arm's length away. The assassin's eyes stared lifelessly out ahead of him, but Liem couldn't stare at them for long. Feelings of guilt and remorse passed through him, but he hurriedly squash those emotions. _He knew what he was doing. Better that it was him, then me._ That line of thought made him think of his friends. _Toph…Masato—I have to find them. I need to make sure they're okay._ He made himself take it slow as he sat up from the cold, hard stone floor. Another bout of pain and dizziness came, but it wasn't nearly as strong this time. He forced himself to work through as he picked himself up, and began to hobble towards the cell door.

He warily poked his head out into the hallway, but there was no one to be seen. Cautiously at first, he began to walk the hallway, but as time continued to stretch without a sign of anymore, his steps became more frantic. He called out his friend's names, but no one answered. The area where the fight took place finally came into view, but there was still no one to be found, friend or otherwise. He scanned the area, trying to find some sign of what happened, when something caught his gaze. When he came closer and saw what it was, his shoulders slumped and his hopes fell. There, lying in the center of the floor, was Toph's green and yellow headband. To Liem, that could only mean thing.

Still slightly limping, he gradually made his way down through the lower levels of the prison tower, back down to the entrance. But it was exactly as he had feared. Masato and Toph were gone, along with every one of the Sons of Sozin. Luck, it seemed, had abandoned him, and so now did his hope. _Zuko, Masato, and Toph are gone. Who can I turn to now? What am I going to do?_ The answers, however, eluded him.

The small boy slowly made his way back to the shadowy streets of the city. At that moment, he felt extremely vulnerable…and very alone.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sweat dripped off Zuko's brow as he stood panting from exertion. He was stripped to the waist, standing in a wide, open expanse in of the one earth palace's many gardens. The firebending exercises he had just finished used more advanced forms, ones that required a lot of focus and agility. He had wanted to clear his mind and get out from the confines of his room this morning, so the exercises had served both purposes.

Zuko turned towards the rising sun and saw that it was much higher now above the horizon. That meant he had probably been out here for a couple hours now. He hadn't planned on training for that long, but the physical exertion had felt good, and it helped to get his mind off other things. Today was the official start to the peace conference, and while that was a big issue in his mind, his thoughts kept slipping back to what happened—or didn't happen—last night. He became very conscious again of the bronze sun hanging from his neck. _Katara._

Despite his best efforts, his mind kept coming back to the same question. _Why didn't she meet me after dinner last night? I was so certain she'd be there._ Zuko started pacing again. That moment they had shared had felt so real…so right. _What could have changed her mind? Did she start having second thoughts about us?_ His stomach twisted at the thought. _She must have…it's the only explanation. If something had happened to her, I would have heard about it by now._ It all pointed to one logical reason, one that he was reluctant to believe.

Footsteps coming up behind him finally brought Zuko out of his thoughts. When he turned to look and saw his uncle, he relaxed. "Hi, Uncle."

Iroh smiled. "Good morning, Nephew. I thought I'd come a little early, to see how you were doing. I hope I am not interrupting anything…"

"No, you're not," Zuko quickly told him. "I just finished some exercises."

"I saw. Your forms are much smoother now, yet you perform them faster." Pride entered Iroh's voice. "You have come a long way from when I first started training you."

Zuko knew his uncle meant it as a compliment, but it served to remind him of the recent events in his life—both the good, and the bad. His reply was somber. "A lot has changed since then."

"Yes, so it has." Iroh glanced down at Zuko's necklace, and his tone became lighter. "Your tastes in fashion, for instance, seemed to have changed as well."

Zuko could feel his cheeks redden slightly. "It was a gift."

"Ah. From a secret admirer, perhaps?"

"No! It's not a…it's just…complicated," Zuko finally managed to get out. A strange expression appeared on his uncle's features, but the other man merely replied, "I see."

His uncle didn't say anything else as he followed Zuko to the nearby bench, where the rest of his clothes lay. He quickly put on his shirt and tunic. "I need to head back to my rooms." He told his uncle. "Kenshin probably has list as long as my arm of things he wants to go over again with me before the ceremony starts."

Iroh chuckled. "He does seem to like making lists, doesn't he?"

"You have no idea."

They continued their conversation as they headed inside the Earth Kingdom palace. "So, do _you_ feel like you are ready for this?" Iroh asked him.

"For what? The ceremony today or the peace conference in general?"

"Both."

"At this point, isn't that irrelevant?"

"Even though you may not be able to change a particular situation, changing your _perception_ of it can make all the difference in the world."

Zuko contemplated this as they continued down the hallway. They were in the guest wing of the palace now, getting close to the suite where he stayed. When they turned the corner down one of the main hallways, Zuko saw Aang, Sokka, and Suki standing in front of Aang's room. There must have been something going on, because Sokka was talking very loudly, and was waving his arms about wildly.

"…she told me that she was going to be here, and be on time. This is cutting it too close!"

"I'm sure she hasn't forgotten, Sokka." Suki's voice was much quieter, in attempt to calm the other down. "I'm sure there's a good reason why she's still there."

"But we need her here now, not halfway across the city."

"What's going on?" Zuko asked as he and Iroh stepped up to the group. He looked over at Sokka. "Where's Katara?"

Sokka's expression soured as he crossed his arms. He started to explain, but Suki beat him to it. "She's at the infirmary in the Lower Ring. She went there last night, and still hasn't come back yet."

The information hit Zuko like a bolt of lightning. "She went there last night?" He asked in a daze. "When?"

"She left right before dinner started. Katara said that there was an emergency at the cottage—that's what the infirmary there is called—and that she had to go help them."

"But Katara never came back to the palace," Aang added. "So she must have spent the night there."

Zuko barely heard him. _So that's why she didn't meet me last night. It had nothing to do with what was between us. She was at the infirmary all night._ He suddenly felt much lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart. He was so relieved over this revelation that he missed some of what Sokka was saying.

"-one of us needs to head over there and bring Katara back with them."

"Going to and from the palace right now will not be as easy as you think," Iroh interjected. "The streets and railways have been packed since early this morning with people all trying to get to the palace."

"Well, what if we took Appa?"

Aang shook his head. "Appa is getting bathed and groomed right now. He won't be ready to fly until the start of the ceremony."

"That's just great…why is it that every time we really need that big furball he needs to be bathed, or fed, or taking a nap? No offense to Appa, of course."

"And there's something else to think about." Everyone looked at Zuko as he started talking. As much as he wanted to head down to the Lower Ring and find Katara, he had think about his responsibilities as a leader, and how his actions would look to others. "Even if we managed to find a way down the Lower Ring and get to the infirmary, we could miss Katara already on her way back, and then we would be late as well."

"Maybe we could ask to postpone the whole thing." Aang offered with a shrug.

"And leave the hundreds of people right outside the palace stairway waiting for hours on end? Not a good idea."

"Well, what other choices do we have right now?"

"I think I might be able to offer another option." A new voice said behind them. They all turned around as Kuei walked up to them. "Sorry, I was heading towards the kitchens and couldn't help but overhearing."

"It's okay," Aang smiled. "What was your suggestion, Kuei?"

The Earth King inclined his head. "Let my men go to the infirmary and check on Katara. They have their own railways and tunnels that they use to get around the city more quickly. As soon as they get there, they could send a message back through the communication rails whether or not she's okay. If something's wrong, the guards will alert us immediately."

Sokka scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I think that just might work."

Zuko hesitated, but then gave his assent. "I think it's our best option at this point."

"Alright, I will let my men know." Kuei told them. "I'll be seeing you guys again very shortly."

Suki sighed. "Well, I guess in the meantime we should start getting ready."

Everyone agreed and so started heading towards their respective rooms, with Iroh following Zuko back to his. After Zuko cleaned up and was dressed once again in his royal robes, he went into his sitting room with Iroh and Kenshin. As he had predicted, Kenshin had a list of things he wanted to go over with him one last time before the ceremony started.

"The procession will start at the doors of the palace," Kenshin instructed him in a patient tone. "The Avatar will go first, followed by the Earth King, then the water tribe representatives, and finally the Fire Lord. Each will be announced before proceeding down the stairs, to the square below. There, each representative will give a short speech to the people, starting once again with the Avatar. You will give yours last, right after Master Sokka and Lady Katara."

Hearing her name immediately drew Zuko's attention away from the present conversation. While he was glad that he earlier doubts were proven wrong, he was still worried that she hadn't shown up at the palace yet. He hoped that Suki was right, and that he was worrying for nothing, but experience had taught him to always expect the worse.

It was a struggle to try to pay attention to Kenshin's instructions, though his secretary seemed not to notice. His uncle's sharp gaze, however, picked up on his nephew's wayward expression. Somehow, Zuko got the impression that his uncle knew exactly what—or who—was occupying his attention, throughout the rest of the morning.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Katara slowly began to wake up, her first observation was to note how tired and groggy she still felt; her second observation, when she finally opened her eyes, was to realize that the ceiling and walls around her definitely did _not_ belong to her room in the Earth King' palace. This confused her, until she remembered what had happened last night. _Maya…I healed her last night. She should be okay, but I should probably check on her._ The thought was enough to get her up and moving.

She was in a different room from the one she healed Maya in last night, one that she didn't remember walking to. Someone must have carried her here and laid her on one of the beds, and even took her shoes off. No doubt it had been at Song's direction. Katara went and hurriedly put on her shoes, and then headed towards the room Maya was in. When she walked in, she saw the small girl sitting up in her bed, playing with one of the dolls that Samira had made her. Maya was quick to notice Katara's entrance, and waved as a big smile lit up her face.

"Katara! You're awake."

Katara's heart swelled at seeing the little girl so happy and full of life. She couldn't express the relief she felt at knowing Maya was going to be alright. But to Maya, she simply smiled and told her, "Good morning, Maya."

As Katara came up next to her bed, Maya began talking excitedly. "Song told me that you came last night and healed me. You must have used your waterbending, because I feel lots better today!"

She nodded. "I did. In fact, if it's okay I'd like to use my waterbending and check and see how you're doing."

"Ooh, I love to watch you waterbend!"

Katara chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm. "Alright, I'll take that as a 'yes'. Hold still, okay?"

After Maya nodded, Katara looked over at the nearby water basin and drew a stream towards herself. She then closed her eyes and moved the water above Maya as she examined different parts of the girl's body. Satisfied, Katara opened her eyes and guided the water back as she gave Maya an encouraging smile. "Well, its official: you are as healthy and strong as a full grown moose-lion!"

Her comment made Maya burst into a fit of giggles, when soon infected Katara as well. Just as the girls had recovered themselves, the door to the large room opened, revealing both Samira and Kai.

"Katara, you did it!" The little boy yelled. "I knew you could!"

He ran over to Katara and engulfed her in a hug, which she happily returned. When he finally let her go, she looked down and affectionately tousled his dark hair. "I'm glad that Maya's okay, too. You got to make sure to let her rest for a while, though."

"I will, I promise."

"Kai," Samira gently addressed the boy. "Why don't you grab some fruit from the kitchen for you and your sister?"

"Alright, Mistress Samira. I'll be right back!" He gave Katara's leg one more squeeze before he shot off towards the door.

Katara smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. At the mention of food, however, Katara's stomach began to grumble, reminding her that she needed some breakfast as well. When she mentioned this Samira, the other woman stepped beside her as they slowly began to make their way to the kitchen as well.

"Song told me what happened last night." Samira informed her. "I cannot thank you enough for coming last night, Katara. When I left yesterday afternoon to make a house visit, she seemed a little out of sorts, but…I just can't believe how fast her condition worsened. If you hadn't shown up in time, I don't know if she would have made it."

"When Kai told me about his sister, I had to come and try to help her. I'm just thankful that everything turned out okay."

"As am I." Samira smiled. "Well, as late as it is, I imagine you must be starving by now. I can make you some breakfast-" She suddenly stopped. "-Katara, what's wrong?"

Katara was already slightly panicking. "Wait—what do you mean by 'late'? What time is it?"

"It's already midmorning-"

"What!" Katara yelped. _The palace procession is this morning! It could already be starting for all I know._ "Why didn't anyone wake me? I'm going to be late!" _Sokka's going to kill me if I show up late to this… and Zuko…I never got a chance to talk to him. What is he going to think now?_ A blanket of worry and anxiety wrapped itself around her. _I have to get to the palace, fast. I have to sort this all out._

"Late for what, Katara?" Samira asked worriedly, but Katara ignored the question. "I have to go!" was all she told the other woman, and then she was running.

Katara ran through the hallways of the big building, and down to the first floor, until she reached the street outside. It was several blocks until the nearest rail station, but being all the way out in the Lower Ring, it would be the quickest way all the way to the center of the city. Thankfully, there weren't too many people out on the streets, but that was probably due to the fact that they were already gathered outside the palace. The wind whipped her hair into her face, partially blinding her as she took off full speed down the narrow streets. All she could think about was getting to the palace as quickly as possible.

Her breathing was coming in gasps by the time she finally reached the railway station. She saw a few people waiting at the back turn and stare at her in her obvious rush, but Katara ignored them. Luckily, the cars heading towards the Upper Ring were still at the station loading passengers, but she noticed that the last few people in line had just stepped into the final car. Katara dashed towards it.

"Wait!" she yelled as a young man in a uniform went to grab the large door, no doubt to shut it. The man turned towards her as she came to a sudden stop behind him. "I have to get on!"

He frowned. "But all the seats are taken, Miss. You'll need to wait until-"

"You don't understand, I have to get to the palace, _now_." She was not going to take 'no' for an answer. "I don't care if I have to stand all the way there, I _need_ to get into that car."

The young man hesitated for moment longer before finally huffed. "Alright, I guess. Just make you hold on-"

"Thank you!" She uttered in relief, and then hurriedly made her way into the rail car. Within moments, the entire string of cars were rushing off through the city towards its center. Although she knew they were moving at incredible speeds, their progress seemed to take forever. The waiting was starting to drive her crazy. _Of all the days, why did I pick_ this _one to sleep in late? Dad is counting on me to help take his place at this conference. I can't let him down._ Slowly, the scenery began to change outside, announcing their entrance into the Upper Ring. Needless to say, when they finally arrived at the station closest to the palace, Katara was the first one off. The streets were much more crowded up here, forcing her to slow down and weave through the masses of people. When Katara finally saw the stair steps leading up to the palace, she stopped. The amount of people surrounding her now were nothing compared to the huge crowd that was gathered around the stairs. She would never get through them in time to the palace. She would have to go another way.

Instead, Katara turned up a different street, one that ran alongside the palace. There was another entrance at the back of the palace that was commonly used by the palace staff. Right now, it would be her best option. The muscles in her legs were already burning from the exertion of sprinting for such a long distance, but Katara ignored it and pushed on ahead. The morning sun was directly facing her now, making her squint as she made her way down the sparsely populated street. Up ahead, a steady stream of wagons and people crossed to and fro as they brought supplies to the enormous palace. Katara slowed a little as she neared the intersection, and turned to head up to the palace, alongside the others.

It was much slower going then, trying to weave in and out of carts and people with armfuls of supplies. Katara accidentally bumped into a few, making them stumble and sometimes even curse. She only paused long enough to utter a quickly apology before she was once again weaving in and out of the stream of people. Finally, the gates of the palace were in sight. She waved at one of the guards checking in some of the merchants, and after a second's hesitation they returned the wave. Fortunately, she and her friends had used this entrance enough now to be recognized on sight. Without any trouble, Katara made her way across the grounds of the palace, and up to the nearest entrance. The Earth Kingdom palace was huge, and had dozens upon dozens of hallways leading to the different wings of the building. It was easy to get lost in gigantic maze, but Katara already knew this part of the palace. She took one of the hallways off to the right, which would eventually lead to the grand throne room. Kuei and her friends had met in there often, so she figured it was a good place to start.

The guards posted outside of the throne room immediately blocked the door when they first saw someone sprinting towards them. When they realized who it was, however, they stepped out of Katara's way and let her step inside. There were several people inside the grandiose room, but she was disappointed when she didn't see Kuei or her friends. She did see Jiang, Kuei's Chief Advisor, standing in the middle of the room, so she decided to ask him first. He would know if the ceremony had already started. As she hurried towards him, she realized that he was already talking to someone. Although the man had his back turned to her, she could tell he was someone important by the elaborate, high-collared tunic he wore. He offered something to Jiang, and as Katara quickly came up behind him, she realized it was a sealed letter.

"-It's very important that it reaches him," Katara overheard the man tell Jiang. His voice was deep, and his words had a very forceful edge to them. Jiang, though, simply bowed to the man.

"Yes, sir. I will see that it gets delivered to him."

"It had better. I will hold you personally responsible if it doesn't."

"I assure, you sir-"

Not even letting Jiang finish, the man grunted in disgust and abruptly turned around to leave. Katara tried to stop her forward momentum and step out of his way, but—much to her embarrassment—she stumbled and fell towards the man. Out of instinct, she reached out and grabbed the man's tunic to try to stabilize herself, yanking his neckline down in the process.

"Watch it, you idiot!" the man yelled at her, but Katara wasn't paying any attention to the man's words. She openly stared at the partially hidden tattoo that was on the man's neck. It was the symbol of an upside down 'V' surrounded by a semi-circle. Her breath caught. _The Sons of Sozin._

Katara let go of the man's tunic and took a step back just as the man realized what had just happened. In a flash, he pulled his arm back started to thrust it towards her in the beginnings a firebending move. In one fluid move, Katara opened up the pouch at her side full of water and pulled a stream of it out towards the man. Her stream met the small jet of fire from the man's outstretched hand, instantly putting it out, and continued onward until it hit the man in the chest. The impact knocked the man to the floor, and before he could get up, Katara split the stream and froze both his arms and legs to the floor.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jiang asked, clearly still startled and confused.

Katara looked around and saw several guards running towards them. She had to act fact, now. Time was against her. "He's an assassin," she quickly told Jiang, "sent here to kill Zuko, the new Fire Lord." A chill went down her spine even as she said the words. "I have to warn him. Where is he?"

Jiang's eyes widened in alarm. "The Fire Lord? He's with the Earth King and the Avatar at the front of the palace. The ceremony only just started-"

Katara didn't wait for him to finish. The guards had just reached the assassin, so she hastily manipulated the water back into her pouch. And then she was running.

 _Zuko doesn't know…he won't be expecting an attack._ The blood was pounding in her ears. She pushed herself to go faster. She had to get to Zuko. _Please don't let it be too late. I have to warn him…to get him to safety._

The long hallway seemed to stretch on forever. Her gaze was fixed on the large, open doorway at the end that would lead to the outside—and to Zuko. A small voice in her mind told her she wasn't going to make it, that she was too slow, but Katara viciously shoved it aside. Despite her throbbing muscles, she forced them to work harder. The doors were gradually growing larger in her tunnel vision, but as she got closer she realized that they were slowly being drawn shut. She started to yell as she ran.

"Wait! Don't close them! Stop!"

The pair of startled guards stopped and turned back to look at her. As she skidded to a stop in front of them, one of the men spoke up. "This area is supposed to be closed off. Who-?"

Just then Katara saw Iroh step forward and place his hand on the man's arm. "It's alright, she is a friend." Iroh looked back at her. "Is something wrong, Katara?"

"Yes," Katara said in a rush, "but I don't have time to explain. The Sons of Sozin are here and Zuko is in danger. Where is he?"

Iroh's expression immediately turned grim. "The assassins are here?" He glanced outside. "The others were already heading down the steps and should be at the plaza already. Zuko was the last, and walked out just a few moments ago-"

 _Then there still might be time._ Katara was already heading once again for the doorway. She pushed her way between the two guards and slipped through the small gap between the doors. The bright sunlight momentarily blinded her, but even before her eyes had fully adjusted she was running across the smooth stone pavement. Her gaze frantically took in and dismissed the two guards walking towards the center of the path, as well as the tall, thin man dressed all in white, ceremonial robes at the top of the stairs. The man's back was turned, as was the other person a few feet behind him, who was also wearing heavy robes, though these were red and gold trimmed and immediately recognizable.

"Zuko!" She screamed his name as she raced across the courtyard. Her cry, however, was swallowed up by the echoing thunder of drums and the distant roar of the crowd. Zuko kept walking. She rasped out his name over and over again. The seconds seemed to turn into minutes as she closed the distance between them. Her heart was beating double-time now. "Zuko, stop!"

Her last scream finally broke through the noise, causing Zuko to instantly spin on his heels and turn towards her. She felt a surge of joy when his golden eyes locked onto her, but her fear kept her focused, and pushed her onward. The confusion written over his handsome features quickly turned into alarm.

"Katara?" She saw, more than heard, him say her name. Then the last few feet between them seemed to suddenly drop away. At nearly full speed, Katara threw herself at him as she breathlessly cried out his name.

"Zuko, you have to leave!" She uttered between gulps of air. "It's not safe here!"

"What do you mean?" His brow crinkled with concern. "Katara, what's going on?"

She grabbed the front of his robes as she tried to explain. "It's the Sons of Sozin. They're _here_ , in the capital."

Zuko's golden eyes widened in surprise. He instinctively pulled her closer to him as he quickly surveyed the immediate area. A part of her couldn't help but note how amazing and how utterly _right_ it felt to be in his arms, even as she began to pull away. "We have to get out of here. I don't know how many there are, or where they could be-" Katara suddenly felt him stiffen.

"The guards," Zuko uttered in shock. Katara's thoughts flashed back to the two Dai Li guards that had been slowly heading towards Zuko. _They_ had been the other assassins, hidden in plain sight. Zuko was already twisting to face the guard coming from her right, so Katara turned to her left. There was no mistaking the lethal intent in the man's eyes as his gaze fixed on her, his arms already moving in the necessary patterns to bring out his power. The fire sprang to life from his hands and rushed towards her as she guided the last of her water and fanned it out in front of her. It had only just solidified as the flames hit it with a loud, hissing thud. Her shield shook from the impact, but held firm. Then, with a simple twist of her arm, she broke her shield into dozens of ice shards and hurled them at the man. Just as she had hoped, the assassin panicked when he saw the deadly missiles and threw his arms defensively in front of him. Mere inches before they reached the man, Katara liquefied each one and used their collective mass and momentum to throw the man to the ground. Before he could get back up, she turned all the water again into ice, making sure that he wouldn't be able to get back up.

She quickly turned, looking for Zuko, and sighed with relief when she saw him unharmed. The other assassin was lying at his feet, but without any visible wounds. Katara rushed over to Zuko. "Are you alright?" she asked, still examining him for any sign of injury.

"I'm fine." His golden eyes softened as he caught her gaze. "And you…?"

"I'm okay," she answered. But suddenly she felt very vulnerable standing there in the middle of the plaza. "But we shouldn't stay here."

"I agree." He reached out and laid a hand on her arm. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps made them both turn in alarm. Zuko started to step in front of her, but then relaxed when he recognized the person. Katara realized it was the tall man in white robes that she had seen in front of Zuko in the procession.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" The man's voice was trembling with fear. He performed a deep bow when he approached the two of them, and stayed bent as he addressed Zuko. "It all happened so fast…I didn't know what to do. Forgive me, my Lord."

"There's no need to apologize." Zuko tried to reassure him. "-You didn't do anything wrong."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Something in the way the man said those last words made Katara frown, but the thought slipped from her mind as a large commotion drew her and Zuko's attention away from the man. The large doors of the palace were opening again, and a large group of guards were heading their way. She turned towards Zuko again, but a sudden glint of light coming from behind him caught her attention. When she realized what it was, her breath caught.

The man in white robes behind Zuko had straightened up now. His dark eyes were fixed on Zuko, shining with a cold and calculating light. He was so close that he could have reached out and touched Zuko, but it was the dagger in his hand that made Katara's blood run cold. Already the man was leaning forward, driving his arm and the weapon in its grasp forward towards its inevitable target. There was no time for her to reach out and try to use her bending, or to warn Zuko. It would all be over in a second.

It was strange, but in that moment, all of her doubts—all of her fears—suddenly disappeared. Her mind was focused on a singular purpose now, and it was that purpose that drove her forward. Her arms were already stretching towards Zuko, her muscles straining as she put all of her remaining strength in this one last move. Everything seemed to slow down as she moved, no doubt due to her sudden hyper-awareness. Katara heard Zuko grunt in surprise as she crashed into him, pushing him to the side. She even saw the surprise dawn on the assassin's face when he finally realized what she had done. But it was too late for him to react—too late to change what was coming now. It was if Katara was watching through someone else's eyes as the blade cut through the air towards her. As the impact caught her right above her stomach, time suddenly sped up once again. She could feel the cold steel of the blade as it plunged deep inside of her, tearing and ripping as it went; part of her mind registered what was happening even as her body went into shock and hit the ground. Then came the pain.

Katara thought she had experienced pain before, but it was nothing compared to this. The pain was everything, blocking out everything else as her entire world was consumed by it. She couldn't move, couldn't say anything—couldn't even _begin_ to form a thought—as the pain took over her, immobilizing her. It seemed to stretch on for an eternity, though time had lost all sense of meaning to her. At some point, Katara realized that the pain was starting to lessen. Her mind latched on to this sliver of hope, desperately clinging to it, though she never thought to ask why it would happen.

Noises from above her begin to filter back through to her. Katara thought she heard someone yell, but she couldn't focus on the sound enough to realize who it was. She willed herself to try harder. Her eyes finally opened, and it was only then that she realized she was lying on the ground, curled into a fetal position. Slowly she let her gaze drift down to her stomach, where she found the dagger still protruding from her midsection. Her ears started ringing and she felt herself getting light-headed again, so she quickly closed her eyes. _I can't give up now. I have to pull through this…I have to know that Zuko is okay. I can do this._ Her arm felt so heavy that it was a strain to move it just a few inches. Her whole body felt sluggish and unresponsive, but Katara forced it to move. The slight tingling along her fingers let her know that finally had the hilt of the dagger in her weakened grip. Steeling herself for the pain that she knew was to come, she gritted her teeth and used her last strength to yank out the blade.

Katara waited for the pain to come again…but it never did. Surprised, she opened her eyes and saw the dagger lying beside her, the entire length of its blade coated in her own blood. Swallowing back the bile in her throat, she moved to pick it up, but this time her arm didn't respond. When she tried again—and failed to move her arm a single inch—cold terror gripped her. Her mind struggled to grasp what it meant. Finally, it came to her. _That's why the pain went away—it's because my body is going numb. The dagger must have been coated in some kind of poison, something that caused paralysis._ Even though she knew it was a futile effort, she tried to reach out towards her bending, but she couldn't grasp it. She could barely feel her element—the water in the air around her, the blood that was now slipping out from her through the wound in her middle—but she could not touch it. Each time she tried, it slipped through her grasp, becoming ever further away as she grew more tired. Perhaps if she just rested…

Another loud shout came from nearby, and this time sounded much more familiar to her. Hands suddenly reached down towards her, and Katara could feel her head being lifted up. Her eyes fluttered open, and with a rush of relief and joy, she saw Zuko's face fill her vision. His pale, beautiful features were twisted in a mask of fear and pain. When he spoke, his words came out in a panicked rush. "Katara? Katara, can you hear me?"

"Zuko," she breathed, "You're alright."

Instead of answering, Zuko looked down to examine her. As he did so, Katara saw his face pale even further, though he was careful to control his expression. When he looked back up, his golden eyes tried to reassure her, even though she could see the panic coursing through them. "Katara, listen to me. You've got to focus now. You need to heal yourself before you lose too much blood."

"I—I can't."

"Yes, you can. You can draw the water from the air—"

"Zuko…"

"—just like you did at the Fire Nation capital, and use it to heal yourself."

"I'm sorry, Zuko," she whispered quietly, "but I can't."

His eyes went wide with fright. "What…what do you mean?"

Katara went to touch his cheek—only to belatedly remember that she couldn't. She tried to force back the tears as she spoke. "The blade was coated with some kind of paralyzing poison. I can't move my arms or legs…or use my bending."

"But—but then you can't…" His breath quickened as his voice became panicked. "There has to be some way…the other waterbenders, they have healers with them. They can help-"

"No, they can't." Even as she spoke, Katara could feel herself weakening, and growing more lethargic with every moment. Such a realization should have frightened her, but as she stared deep into Zuko's eyes, an inexplicable sense of calm came over her. "It's too late for that."

He shook his head in denial. "Don't say that. You can't give up. I know you can fight it…"

"Not this time," Katara whispered to him, "but that was a chance I was willing to take."

"But you have to get better. You have to heal yourself because I…" Zuko's voice began to break. His eyes pleaded with hers. "…I _need_ you with me."

She stared into his wet, golden eyes—eyes that she always seemed to lose herself in—and willed herself to hang on, if for just a little longer. "There's something I should have told you a long time ago, but I was scared…of my own feelings, and what they meant." Despite everything she was going through, Katara felt a smile form on her lips. "But I'm not scared anymore. The truth is…I love you."

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut as the tears began to slowly fall down his pale, beautiful cheeks. When he finally looked back at her again, they were brimming with both love…and pain. "Ever since that night at the dance, I've been afraid too. I came so close to losing you that night, and all I could think about was how much I needed you with me, by my side. I didn't want to think of living in a world without you in it." His tears were falling freely now. Katara's heart broke as she heard him whisper the words, "That's why you have to fight it, Katara…because I can't do it without you…because I—I love you."

Her vision suddenly became blurry, and she blinked several times before she realized it was because she was now crying too. She wished she could wipe them away, only if so see could see his face clearly again. She then felt something brush against her cheeks, and then gently at both her eyelids. Her eyelids fluttered open again, to watch as Zuko then moved his warm fingers down across her cheeks, and down to her lips. His head slowly bent down towards hers, and as he did so she could feel drops of his tears on her cheeks, mixing with her own. Katara could taste the saltiness on her lips, but this was forgotten the moment Zuko pressed his lips against hers.

A sudden, last surge of energy flowed through her as she passionately returned his kiss. She had kissed him so many times in her dreams, but it paled in comparison to this…they could never truly capture how soft yet firm his lips were, and how they moved against hers in a rhythm that was as natural as breathing. Katara could feel how much he had missed her in his touch, just as she could feel his desperation and his pain, because it mirrored her own feelings. It was bittersweet—knowing that they had lost so much time together, and were now left only with a fleeting moment—and it was present in their kiss. As desperately as she clung to this moment, Katara knew that she had run out of time. The last of her strength had left her, and a wave of sleepiness was now crashing over her. Zuko must have sensed the change in her, because he suddenly pulled away.

"Katara?"

It was a struggle to open her eyes, and to focus on his face. He really did have such beautiful eyes…eyes like liquid gold flecked with amber. She hated to see such agony in their depths, and even more that she could do nothing to erase it. There was guilt there too, and she knew what he was thinking, because she knew him. It was a struggle to summon her voice again. "Zuko, what happened today…it wasn't your fault."

"Yes," he answered brokenly, "yes it is. I was the one they were after. I should have been the one to-to…not you."

Her vision was starting to grow dark. Her lids felt too heavy…too heavy to stay open any longer. She couldn't fight it anymore. "It was my choice. I did it…because I love you."

"I love you, Katara…. Katara, please, you've got to stay with me…Katara? Katara!..."

His voice was fading away from her as she began to drift. Somehow, she was able to draw one more breath as she whispered again, "…it was my choice."

Slowly the darkness enveloped her until there was nothing else…no light, no sound, and no pain. There was only her and the void around her. She wasn't sure how long she floated there, but then she noticed something. There, at the corners of her mind, she could see the hint of light. It had no source that she could see…it was merely a glow that began to spread in all directions. She couldn't explain it, but it seemed familiar somehow, and it comforted her. Without hesitation, Katara stepped towards it. The bright, white light became everything.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nothing else existed at that moment for him except for her. There was no Ba Sing Se, no palace, no guards, no assassins…nothing but the two of them. And she was dying in his arms.

He listened as she told him she loved him again. He never knew that three small words could cause such happiness, yet also tear him apart at the same time. He whispered the words back to her, but even as he said them he could feel her slipping away. She was so cold now…but it still didn't compare to the coldness that had gripped his very soul. He begged and pleaded for her to stay…for Agni and all the spirits in existence to save her…but his pleas went unanswered. Even now he watched as her eyes slowly closed, and she shuttered to take one last breath.

"…it was my choice…" he heard her say one last time as a moan escaped his lips. He should have taken the assassin's blade, not her…it was his price to pay. But the thought didn't change anything. It didn't change the horrid reality that was unfolding in front of him.

He called out her name again as he stroked her soft hair, but she didn't answer. It was then that he finally felt her exhale softly, and then…she went still.

He didn't want to believe it. His tears splashed onto her perfectly shaped lips as he said her name again and again, and begged for her to hold on, but deep down, he already knew.

She was gone.


	22. Invisible Bonds

**Author's Note** : I know, I know...the last chapter ended on a very evil cliffhanger, so I tried to post as soon as I could (still kind of busy, sorry about that!). It could have been worse though. Back when I posted this story the first time around, it took me 3 MONTHS to write this chapter and my audience had to wait that whole time wondering what happened afterwards...so there's that. In any case, it's no where near as evil as what Game of Thrones did to John Snow a few seasons back-we had to wait until the NEXT SEASON to find out if he was truly dead or not. omg that show...so many feels... anyways, hope you enjoy the update!

* * *

Before Katara had said a single word, Iroh had known that something was wrong. It was more than just the fear that he could see written all over the young waterbender's face. It was a feeling—intuition one could call it—that something had gone terribly wrong.

 _"…I don't have time to explain. The Sons of Sozin are here and Zuko is in danger. Where is he?_ "

The mere mention of their name made Iroh's blood run cold. He had grown up hearing about the secret yet ruthless nature of the group, and the knowledge that they were here, now, after his nephew filled him with dread.

Soon afterwards, on the footsteps of the Earth King's palace, he would find out that his fears had been realized. He had been too late.

Two more of the Sons of Sozin had come through the hallway after Katara had rushed outside the palace doors. Both of the assassins were firebenders and were very skilled, but they had been in too much of a hurry. Rushing through a fight was a sure way of making a critical mistake. They had also underestimated Iroh and the two guards with him, and in the end that was their biggest mistake. More palace guards had arrived afterwards and so Iroh had quickly led them outside towards the others. He had hoped that the Sons had only sent the two, and that now the threat was over, but he was wrong. So very, very wrong.

He had only to take one look at the utter devastation written all over his nephew's face to know what had happened. The Sons of Sozin had planned out their attack very carefully, and made sure that there had been enough of them so that at least one of them would be successful. The two assassins Iroh had met in the hallway had accomplished their purpose; they had cost him precious minutes…minutes that could have made all the difference. The thought only made the horrific scene in front of him now even harder to bear.

Zuko never glanced in Iroh's direction, for his sole attention was focused on Katara, still clutched tightly in his arms. Iroh no longer had any doubts of Zuko's feelings towards Katara—one only had to see how he looked at her to see just how deeply he loved her. He would whisper her name over and over again, and with each time Iroh's heart would break. He made no effort to wipe away the tears that now ran freely down his face.

He was standing there, still paralyzed with grief, when he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He turned to see Suki stop in front of him. Zuko, however, did not seem to notice.

"General Iroh, the guards told us that something had happened…" Suki's voice trailed off as she finally caught sight of Zuko and Katara behind him. She froze in place. "Oh no…Katara…" Desperately, she glanced back at Iroh. "Is she…is she alright? Please don't tell me-" She left the rest of the sentence hang in the air.

"I'm sorry, Suki, but Katara…she was wounded. It was too late to save her-"

"No," Suki shook her head as tears began to form at the corners of her eyes, "It can't be too late. She's a master waterbender and a healer…and there are other healers here too…someone has to be able to help her."

"The healers cannot help Katara." It was hard for Iroh to get the words out. "She has already passed into the spirit world. I know it's hard to accept Suki-"

"I-I don't believe it. She can't be gone. There has to be _some_ way to save her—" She abruptly stopped talking. Slowly, realization began to dawn over her.

"Suki, what is it?"

Her tone was now urgent. "I have to get to the Lower Ring _now_."

"…why the Lower Ring?" Iroh asked in confusion.

"I'm going to get help."

She then turned and started for the stairs, and only slowed a little when Iroh called out to her. "The streets will still be too packed to move quickly."

"I'll be taking Appa," Suki answered over her shoulder, "he's down below on the platform." She picked up her pace again. "Tell the others I'll be back soon."

"I will." Iroh watched as she raced as fast as she could down the large, stone stairs. He had a feeling he knew where she was headed, but what she hoped to accomplish from the journey, he couldn't yet fathom.

"General Iroh?"

Iroh turned his attention to one of the guards had stepped up next to him. When Iroh met his gaze, he continued.

"The area has been secured, but we are still vulnerable to any long-range threats."

He nodded. "Send some guards down to the plaza, and get the Earth King to safety. Tell the Avatar and his friends to come up to the palace immediately…and Master Pakku as well—we will need his healers to tend to the wounded. The rest of the men need to come with me."

"Yes, sir."

As the man went to carry out his orders, Iroh finally approached his nephew. He gently grabbed Zuko's shoulder. Without taking his eyes from Katara, Zuko began to whisper. "She's gone. I-I can't believe that she's really gone. It…it wasn't supposed to be like this. I thought she'd be safe…" His voice broke off again as he gasped, more tears coming to his eyes. Iroh struggled to find his voice.

"There will be a time to mourn, Zuko, but right now, we need to get back into the palace. More of the Sons of Sozin could be coming. It's not safe out here."

"The Sons…" Iroh's words finally had some effect, as some semblance of life sparked back into Zuko's eyes. Suddenly, his voice was calmer, though it seethed with an underlying anger. "They wore disguises. I didn't recognize them until it was too late."

"The ones I ran into wore guard uniforms as well."

"How many?"

"At least five. Some of them will require healing first, but then they will all be escorted to the high security prison cells under Lake Lagoi."

The dark look that entered Zuko's eyes was intimidating. "And then I will make sure to question each one of them. Personally."

He looked back down at Katara, and his expression softened. Very slowly, he got up, with Katara still cradled in his arms. Halfway up, he suddenly groaned and teetered to the right, as if favoring an injury, but just as Iroh was going to help him he straightened up again.

"Zuko, are you hurt?" Iroh worriedly asked him, but Zuko shook his head.

"I'm fine," he managed to get out between gritted teeth, and before Iroh could ask him about it again, he was walking towards the palace. Deciding it was better not to argue at this point, Iroh followed close behind him, along with several of the guards. They had made it through the massive doors and were almost at the end of the long hallway when Zuko's steps began to slow. He stumbled as he tried to take a few more steps. Finally, with another loud groan, he stopped and abruptly dropped to his knees, while still holding Katara.

"Zuko!" Iroh rushed over to his nephew, who was panting in pain. Iroh tried to quickly examine him to see what was the cause, but there were several parts of him covered in blood, with no way to tell if it was Zuko's or Katara's. "You are injured. We need to get you to a healer."

"It's nothing," he tensely replied, "I just need a moment."

"No, you need rest now." Iroh softened his tone. "I can carry her-"

"-No!" Tears came to Zuko's eyes. "I need to be the one to—to…" he faltered as he gasped for a breath. Iroh knelt down, facing his nephew, and looked him in the eyes.

"Zuko, listen to me. You are not going to face this alone. I will be here for you, as will your friends. Just let me help you."

Zuko looked away, but not before Iroh saw the pain that flashed through his eyes again. After a moment, he nodded. Iroh then turned to a nearby guard and motioned for him to approach. "The Fire Lord needs a healer. Find one and bring them back here, quick."

"Yes, General Iroh." The guard gave a quick bow and then half-walked, half-ran back down the hallway and the palace entrance. Iroh turned his attention back to Zuko. "You should not move until they are able to look at you and heal your injuries. There is a room nearby where I can take Katara. I will post some guards around the room to make sure it is secure, and then come back for you."

His nephew hesitated for just a moment before giving his assent. Very carefully, Iroh put his arms underneath Katara's slender form and took her from Zuko. As he stood up, Iroh met Zuko's gaze for a split second, and he mourned the despair and grief that he saw in them. He knew, however, that there was nothing he could say now to erase his nephew's pain, and so with a heavy heart he turned and headed further into the palace.

Iroh turned left down the first hallway he came to, and not too far down was the room he was looking for. It was large, like most rooms in the Earth kingdom palace, and probably used to hold guests as they waited to see the Earth King. The two guards that had followed him posted on either side of the door as he headed inside. In the middle of the room were several chairs and a large couch off to one side, and it was to the latter that Iroh went. Very gently, he laid Katara down on its green cushions. Seeing her lying there, so peaceful and serene, brought tears again to his eyes. His vision was becoming blurry…and soon the past began to blend with the present.

Iroh blinked.

 _The faces were different, as were the surroundings, yet the scene was the same._

 _She was lying in the middle of their enormous bed, her dark hair spilling over the pillows and sheets around her. Her face was even paler than usual, and covered in sweat from hours of labor. He could hear his newborn son, Lu Ten, crying in the background. They told him it was a miracle that he had survived at all. There was nothing, however, that could be done for his wife._

 _There was so much blood…it sickened him to see it stain the sheets in large pools around her…to see the life drained out of her. There was only a few precious moments, a few whispered words, and then…she was gone._

 _He had clutched her hand tightly as his tears fell down on their intertwined hands._

Iroh blinked.

"Master Iroh?"

It took a moment for Iroh to regain his composure. When he turned to face the new voice, he saw it was one of the water tribe healers. She regarded him with concern.

"Master Iroh, are you alright?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes…I just needed a moment."

"I had heard there was an attack, but I had hoped…"

Her expression was grave as she stepped towards where Katara lay. As she knelt by her side, Iroh softly told her. "It was too late to save her..."

The woman closed her eyes at the news, and softly began to chant. It was a prayer to Tui and La, one that Iroh had heard once before. When she had finished, Iroh thanked her. Her blue eyes were solemn as she met his gaze again. "I had heard of the young waterbender that traveled with the Avatar. I am very sorry for your loss, General Iroh."

Iroh swallowed back the painful lump in his throat, and nodded. He then asked. "What is your name?"

"It's Enola, sir."

"Enola. Do you know if someone has seen to my nephew—the Fire Lord?"

"Yes, sir. One of the other healers is with him now. She told me to come and check on you, to see if you were alright." She looked back down at Katara and gently stroked her hand, though it was covered with blood. "You can go back to your nephew, General Iroh. I can wash her and look over her until you return."

"Thank you, Enola."

Iroh set a quick pace back to the large antechamber at the end of the hallway. The guards had spread themselves at even intervals in a defensive perimeter around the pair at its center. Zuko was standing now, leaning against the stone wall in his casual tunic and pants, his official robes having been discarded. An older woman, dressed in traditional water tribe clothing, was leaning towards him, focused on his injured side. Her hands, which glowed with a soft light, moved over his right side in a circular motion as she used her waterbending to heal him. She had just finished and took her hands away when Iroh saw Aang and Sokka come running down the hallway.

"Zuko!" They both exclaimed as they dashed straight to the pair. "We heard there was an attack, but no one knows what's going on…" Aang continued in a rush.

"-and Suki took off without saying a word…" Sokka trailed off as he glanced between Zuko and the healer. "Wait—are you okay?"

Zuko looked away without saying anything, so the healer spoke up. "Will you be needing anything else, Fire Lord Zuko?"

"No, I won't," he whispered, still staring out into nothing. The healer nodded and walked away, leaving a very confused Aang and Sokka behind.

"Zuko, what's going on?" Aang asked him warily.

"The Sons of Sozin were here."

"The Sons? But I thought you said they weren't a threat anymore."

"That's what I thought. But I was wrong." His voice was flat and lifeless. "Katara had come here to warn me. There were at least five of them, dressed up as guards. But I didn't know it was them until it was too late…" He then looked down at his hands, still streaked with dried blood. When both Aang and Sokka realized what it was, they both paled.

"Zuko..." A touch of horror entered Sokka's quiet tone. "Whose blood is that?"

Zuko's chest heaved as his breath quickened. "She wasn't supposed to be there. It all happened so fast, I didn't have time…I-I couldn't…"

"Wait. What are you saying?"

He finally looked up and met Sokka's gaze. He took another shaky breath. "One of the assassins, he had a poisoned blade. Katara couldn't heal herself in time…"

Sokka unconsciously took a step backwards. He was devastated. "Katara is…is dead?"

"No!" Aang's hands curled into fists. "I don't believe that. Katara is one of the best healers alive today, she would have been able heal herself."

"The poison was aimed to paralyze its victim quickly. By the time I had reached her, she couldn't move, much less do any bending…"

"No, it can't be true!"

"I'm afraid Zuko is telling the truth." Iroh slowly came and stood a little ways from his nephew. "I witnessed it myself. Katara has…passed away."

Both Aang and Sokka stared at Iroh in horrified silence, trying to comprehend what he and Zuko had told them. Sokka finally turned his watery gaze back to Zuko, and broke the heavy silence that had fallen over the room. "I just don't understand…" He bit his lips as if to stifle a cry, and after a moment's pause, began again. "It doesn't make sense. Why Katara? There were other healers there, so why did they only come after her?"

"It wasn't Katara they were after." Zuko squeezed his eyes shut against the pain, and dropped his head. Even from where Iroh stood, he could see his nephew's arms quivering with the raw emotion that was surging through him. "They were trying to get to _me_. One of them came from behind, but I didn't see him, not until after… but by then Katara had already stepped in front of me. She…she gave her _life_ to protect me, without a second's hesitation, and all because…" A shudder ran throughout Zuko's entire body, cutting off the rest of his words. But Sokka wouldn't let it go. He stepped towards him, compelling him to continue.

"…because of _what_ , Zuko?"

Zuko slowly lifted his head. Unashamed, he let the tears run down his face. "Because she loved me. So she made a choice, and saved my life—the same choice that I made for her, months ago."

Sokka's mouth opened, but no words came out right away. "You and Katara…loved each other?" he finally asked, still clearly in shock. "I had no idea-"

"So, it was _you_."

The accusation in Aang's words reverberated throughout the large room. There were unshed tears in his brown eyes, but as he stared at Zuko, a new emotion began to take over his features. It was anger. "The whole time when Katara…when she told me that we couldn't be together, the two of you were already secretly seeing each other, weren't you?"

Zuko calmly met his furious gaze, and answered quietly. "Yes, we were."

"How long?"

He didn't answer right away, so Aang asked again, this time much louder. " _For how long_ , Zuko?"

"Since the Agni Kai with my sister," he whispered. "I jumped in front of Azula's lightning bolt to save Katara, and after she healed me, we realized that we had feelings for each other."

"But how could you…? I trusted you, Zuko. You knew what she meant to me—I told you that I loved her, and then you…you went and stole her away from me, from behind my back!"

"I didn't steal her away from you, Aang. Katara told me that she didn't feel the same way about you that you did about her. We didn't plan on what came afterwards. It just…happened."

"And how long were you planning on keeping it a secret? You were _ever_ going to tell me?"

"We were…until I sent her away." His voice became hollow. "Then everything changed."

"What do you mean," Sokka shakily asked, "when you say you 'sent her away'?"

"After that night of the dance, I knew that the Sons wouldn't stop hunting Katara as long as she stayed in the Fire Nation. But she didn't want to leave…so I told her things were over between us, and I forced her to go with you to the Earth Kingdom. I thought she would be safer that way."

"She _was_ safe, until you showed up," Aang darkly replied. Iroh had never seen Aang so angry before. "If you knew that the Sons were still a threat, you should have told us. We could have taken steps to prevent this from happening, but instead, you had to _lie_ to us and tell us that everything was _just fine_ , when it clearly wasn't!"

"It wasn't a lie. I had found evidence that said they weren't targeting me any longer. I thought they weren't a threat anymore—that they had moved on. I decided to come here for the peace conference because I didn't think they would attack again." He swallowed hard. "But I was wrong. I made a mistake."

"Yes, you did. And it was _your_ _mistake_ ending up costing Katara her _life_!"

Zuko went very still, his face drained of color. Iroh decided that it was time to step in, before this went any further. "I think we all are understandably distraught and angry over what has happened, but we can't let our anger take control of us and distort our thinking-"

"The only reason the Sons were here was because of Zuko!" Aang's darkened gaze bored into Zuko as he stepped closer to him. "If he had stayed in the Fire Nation, none of this would have happened and Katara...Katara would still be alive right now!" Aang closed his eyes for a brief moment as he stood trembling with rage. When he opened them again and stared at Zuko, they began to glow a very light blue. " _You_ are the one that got Katara involved in all of this. It's _your_ fault she's dead!"

In a flash, the glow in Aang's eyes turned into a brilliant blue beacon. The blue light followed the pathways down his back and arms, instantly lighting up the rest of his airbending tattoos.

"Aang is going into the avatar state!" Sokka shouted next to Iroh. "We have to stop him!"

Sokka moved towards Aang as Iroh went to place himself between the two. Neither of them took more than a few steps before they suddenly ran into something invisible, but very solid. Moments later, a strong wind whipped around them, rustling their hair and clothes as it picked up speed. It circled until it formed a perfect sphere right in front of Iroh and Sokka…with Aang and Zuko in its center. As Aang slowly began to rise off the floor, Iroh looked back at his nephew, expecting him to drop into either a defensive or firebending stance. But to his surprise, Zuko did neither. He simply stood there, staring up at Aang. As Iroh watched, he couldn't help but think that he had seen that expression before that was now on his nephew's face—it was the look of a man that was staring at his fate, and accepted it.

"You're right." There was no emotion left in Zuko's voice. "I am the reason why the Sons of Sozin were here, and if I hadn't shown up she would be alive right now. You have no idea how that feels—that knowledge gives me more pain than anything you could do to me. So whatever you're going to do, do it." His fists clenched shut as some fury finally laced through his voice. "Just know that—if I happen to leave Ba Sing Se alive—I will go back to Caldera City, and I will personally hunt down _every single_ Sons of Sozin left alive in the city and make them _pay_ for what they did to Katara...or die trying."

Zuko unclenched his fists and reached up with his right hand, pulling at a chain that was around his neck. Iroh instantly recognized the bronze sun pendant that his nephew had been wearing earlier that morning. Zuko's expression once again became twisted with both longing and agony as he stared at the pendant. It hit Iroh then that the pendant must have been Katara's—nothing else could have caused his nephew to react like that. Closing his eyes, Zuko then spoke so softly Iroh almost couldn't hear him. "Katara, I'm so sorry. Please...forgive me." He then gently brought the sun pendant up to this lips, and gave it a soft kiss.

"Katara—?" Aang's voice suddenly broke through the commotion. The wind faltered, and Iroh looked up to see Aang's fury melt away. The young avatar then suddenly jerked his head to the side and looked far off, as if he had seen something. "Katara?" he asked again, aloud. He waited, his expression eager, but it soon disappeared. He then looked back down at Zuko's stationary form, and a look of horror crossed his face. The blue light started to fade from his gaze and tattoos as he slowly descended back down to the floor. The wind instantly died.

Once Iroh realized that the barrier was gone, he hurried over to his nephew. He laid a hand gently on his shoulder, but Zuko didn't move right away. When his nephew opened his eyes, the lifelessness he saw in them sent a shiver down through Iroh. He tried to put more confidence in his voice than he felt. "Come, Zuko," he told his nephew softly. "There is much to do still."

"Zuko," Aang suddenly called out as he stepped closer, with Sokka at his side. Every remnant of anger was gone now, replaced with sorrow and guilt. "I…I didn't mean to let my anger get so out of control. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, and said what I did. I'm sorry."

Zuko stood there for a long moment without saying anything, his expression showing nothing, yet everything. "It doesn't make what you said any less true, though." He glanced over at Sokka, his voice flat and lifeless. "There is some business that I need to take care of right away. If I may, I'd like to see her—alone—before I leave."

Sokka swallowed heavily before nodding. Without another word, Zuko turned away from the group and started walking. Iroh sadly watched him go.

"I can't believe what I did…what I was about to do," he heard Aang say behind him. "I just got so angry…I couldn't control it. I-I just can't believe Katara is gone."

"There, at the end," Iroh asked him, "it sounded like you were calling out to Katara. Why?"

"While I was in the avatar state, I thought I heard Katara's voice two different times. I tried calling out to her, but I'm not sure if she heard me."

"Are you sure?" Sokka's expression looked bewildered. "What if you were just hearing things? You _were_ really emotional-"

"I _wasn't_ hearing things. It was Katara's voice and it sounded like she needed help."

"Even if you are right, what does that even mean?" The frustration in Sokka's voice melted away as tears began to form in his eyes. "I know it's hard, Aang, but the fact is…Katara's gone, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Aang's brown hardened. "Not from here we can't." He turned and started to walk further into the palace.

"Where are you going?"

"To find a place to meditate!" Aang yelled to him before he disappeared around a corner. Sokka moved to follow him, but Iroh put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let him go, Sokka. Aang will need to deal with this in his own way, at his own pace."

Sokka eventually nodded so Iroh removed his hand. Iroh thought about what Aang had said, but he was just as confused as the boy next to him. Silence descended on the large chamber once again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zuko walked down the long, stone hallway without really seeing it. There was some part of him that kept him moving—that forced him to put one foot in front of the other—as the rest of him drifted. It was the same images, the same scenes that looped through his thoughts, and he could do nothing to stop them, or the pain. And so he kept on walking. The guards on either side of the door started to step in his way but then stopped once they glanced at his expression. They quickly stepped out of his way and let him in without saying a word. A woman in blue approached him—a healer he thought she said—but it was hard to concentrate on what she was saying. Soon enough she left the room, leaving Zuko alone.

It didn't take long to find her—lying on a sofa and with a thick brown blanket up to her chest. The blood on her face and arms was gone now, probably due to the healer. She looked so serene lying there, Zuko could almost believe that she was merely sleeping, but it was a fleeting thought. He had to remind himself to blink several times so that he could see as he approached where Katara lay. Kneeling down next to her, he gently lifted up her hand and held it between his. Slowly, he brought it closer to his mouth and placed a small kiss on the back of her hand. He felt, more than saw, the tears that began to splash on top of their intertwined hands. Then it surfaced again—the raw, aching hole inside of him—and he did nothing to hold it back.

Time lost all sense of meaning to Zuko. There was only the storm that raged inside of him, and the passing of time from one wave to the next. Many times it would leave him breathless and dizzy, and it seemed the only thing that kept him from drowning was his hand clutched around hers.

At some point, he realized that his other hand was now wrapped around the bronze sun pendant hanging from his neck. The realization sent a shudder throughout his entire body. Very slowly, Zuko lifted his head again, to gaze at Katara's pale face.

"You told me…" He had to stop, and after a moment's pause, began again, "You told me that it was your choice. That was the last thing you said to me…that you didn't want me to blame myself, but I can't stop doing it. Agni, but I can't." He squeezed her hand, trying to find the courage to continue. "I had been so afraid of losing you—so afraid of just the _thought_ of someone hurting you—that I let that fear take control of me. I let that fear guide my decisions, and in the end I let it shut out and push away the _very_ person I was trying to protect. I should have trusted in what we had together, instead of sending you away. You-" he swallowed painfully, "-you told me that we made a great team, and you were right." His eyes squeezed shut against the pain. "You were right…"

Zuko again reached to touch the sun pendant—her gift to him. "I wish that…there were so many things I wanted to tell you. That I loved the way you laughed, and how your cheeks would turn the most adorable shade of pink whenever you got angry or embarrassed—which happened often." A small, sad smile crossed his lips as the memories resurfaced. "Agni, you would get so mad at me back then. But then, we were both stubborn, even if neither of us wanted to admit it. You were always so passionate in everything you did, whether it was sparring, or even just talking. And when you smiled…" His voice faltered. "I would have given anything— _anything_ —to see it one, last time."

His smile withered and then disappeared as he took his hand from the sun pendant. Letting go of her hand, he picked himself up and sat on the edge next to her. He then bent over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"But most of all," he whispered to her, "I wanted to tell you that it was _you_ that I wanted by my side. You were the one who I could talk to, no matter what I had on my mind." Splashes of his tears began to fall on her soft, smooth cheeks. "And you were the one that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

He could feel his whole body tremble as leaned down again, but this time towards her lips. Very slowly, he touched his lips to hers, in one last, shared kiss. When he pulled back, he hovered there for a moment, gazing down at her.

Zuko then stood up and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He could still feel himself shaking, and tried to still himself. _I have to keep it together. I still have much to do. The Sons of Sozin are still out there. I have to find each and every one of them…_

The sound of the door opening caught his attention. When he turned around, an older woman entered the room. Although she was wearing a brown and green dress, everything else about her suggested that she was from a water tribe—the most obvious being her vivid blue eyes. "Who are you?" Zuko asked, but the words were barely out of his mouth before Sokka, Iroh, and Suki filed in after the woman.

The woman gave a slight bow. "My name is Samira, Fire Lord Zuko. I am a healer here in Ba Sing Se. I've come here to help Katara, if I can."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Didn't they tell you that she's…" He couldn't finish the sentence, but the woman still nodded in understanding.

"Yes, they did, Your Highness. I still came because there is a chance—even though it might be small—that she can still be brought back."

Zuko stared at her, dumbfounded. "But how?" he finally managed to utter.

"With this." Samira reached into a pouch at her side and carefully pulled something out. When Zuko saw the small, shining vial, he gasped.

"Wait…is that?-"

"Water from the Spirit Oasis," Samira answered for him. "Yes, it is. The last of two vials that I brought from the Northern Water Tribe many years ago."

Recognition dawned over Sokka. "That's what Katara used to heal Aang after Azula struck him with her lightning!" A new hope now appeared in his eyes. "So we _can_ bring her back!"

"That is my hope."

Suki looked at Samira questioningly. "But why does it sound like you're not so sure it will work?"

"Although the water possesses extraordinary healing abilities, it is not guaranteed to work. I saw this attempted only three times in all the years that I lived at the Northern Water Tribe, and only once was it successful."

Zuko was still trying to wrap his mind around what Samira was saying. "Why didn't it work the other two times?" he quietly asked her.

Samira hesitated. "We're not sure. It is believed that some of it has to do with how strong the person is who is being healed, or how quickly after death the healing is attempted…while others say it depends on if the spirit of the deceased has already moved on. Most likely it is some combination of them all."

"Then there's no time to waste."

Zuko moved to the head of the sofa, where he would be out of the way but still close to Katara. Samira swiftly came and over knelt by Katara's side. Very gently, she grabbed the blanket and moved it down, exposing the large, fatal wound. Taking the stopper of the bottle, Samira then gracefully guided the water into her hands and moved them directly above Katara's midsection.

Slowly, the older woman started to move her hands in circular patterns above the wound as she began to softly chant. The spirit water that hovered just above the skin glowed softly as it moved and pulsed like a living being. Very gradually, the speed of her movement and her chant quickened, and as it did, Zuko noticed that the water's glow started to get brighter. Just as the water's pulsing and glow seemed to reach its peak, Samira's hands suddenly stilled and her chanting abruptly stopped. Zuko unconsciously held his breath.

The room was deathly quiet as all eyes remained fixed on the bright, blue glow that covered Katara's middle. Second after second continued to pass, but still nothing happened. Zuko suddenly got the feeling that something wasn't right—that the healing should have brought her back by now. Despair began to claw its way back to the surface. _This has to work—she has to come back! There must be something I can do…_

Moving closer to her, Zuko took one of her hands in his. "Katara, please…come back to us. You can't give up now. You have to fight it. I _know_ you can do it." He stared down at her beautiful face, willing her to come back. He tentatively touched his fingertips to her cheek, but it remained cool to the touch. A sob escaped his lips. "Katara? Please— _please_ don't do this. You _have_ to come back. You're strong—I know you are. I just-" Zuko bent over Katara, clutching her to him, as the tears overwhelmed him. "I-I need you to come back… I love you, Katara." He closed his eyes as everything came crashing down around him. The light of the healing didn't diminish, but grew brighter. Soon, its warmth covered everything.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Aang walked around the halls of the Ba Sing Se palace, staring at walls that were a pale imitation of the actual place. Nearly everything looked like it was covered in a pale afternoon mist—almost as if seeing it through a filmy light. Even though Aang had been to the Spirit World many times now, he still wasn't completely used to it. The layout of the palace was the same as in the living world, but it was completely empty—there were no people here. But he still searched on, hoping to see one spirit in particular.

There were many things about the Spirit World that Aang still didn't fully comprehend; the question of if and how spirits could reside in this realm was one of them. But he knew that some spirits _did_ appear here, and so he kept searching.

Aang called Katara's name again as he walked down the long hallway towards its front entrance. He earnestly listened to see if he could hear anything—or notice any sign that Katara might be here—but he still found nothing. A trip out to the steps of the palace yielded the same result. Aang's heart sank. _I've searched through this entire palace now and I still haven't found her or seen any sign that she's here. I just don't understand. I was so_ sure _that she would be here. What do I do know?_

He looked out onto the city, but all the buildings around him simply faded out of sight, into the misty haze. Frustration bubbled up to the surface. _Maybe Sokka was right…perhaps I was just hearing things. It sounded so real though. What should I do?_ Without conscious effort his mind brought up an image of Katara—one of her smiling at him—and it was quickly followed by a swell of pain and sorrow. He tried to stay focused. _I-I can't just stand here. I have to_ do _something...anything. Katara wouldn't have given up on me…she would have kept on trying. I've got to keep looking. But where do I go? If she's not here, where would she be?..._ An idea suddenly struck Aang. He knew where he needed to go next. Determined once again, Aang closed his eyes and concentrated on his destination. Traveling was yet another thing that worked differently from the world of the living. He merely had to think about moving to a place, and he would travel there. He wasn't sure how long the process took, but soon he opened his eyes, and found a new scenery surrounding him.

It didn't look quite the same, but one look around the small snow-covered village told Aang that he was right where he wanted to be: in the middle of the Southern Water Tribe. He searched around the huts, including the one that was Sokka's and Katara's, but there was still no one to be found. Letting his instincts guide him, Aang decided to head outside the village, to the cliffs nearby. It was hard to see in the pale light, but as Aang got closer, he thought he saw something standing out at the cliff's edge. Excitement shot through him, making him speed up. It was a person, standing there with their back turned to him, and when Aang recognized the figure, he gasped. "K-Katara?"

She faded into a blue aura-like mist as she turned to face him, but then quickly solidified. She was wearing her blue and white dress, with her brown hair flowing down and around her shoulders, except for the little bit that had been pulled back in front. When her blue eyes locked into his, Aang no longer had any doubt. "Aang?" she hesitantly asked. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, it is." He watched, mesmerized, as she came closer to him, almost gliding as she went. His thoughts and emotions were so jumbled that it was hard to make sense of it all. He was overjoyed to see her again, to see those bright blue eyes light up as they met his and to hear her soft voice again. But yet it was all laced with grief, because he couldn't deny the reality of what this place was and why she was in it. As much as he hated it, the fact was that this was still a farewell. "The moment I heard your voice…something told me I had to come here. I had to find you."

"I heard your voice too. But if you're here," she seemed to muse, "than that means this must be the Spirit World."

"It is."

"Then you must have seen the others. Is everyone okay? Where there any more attacks?"

"No. All the assassins have been captured. No one else was hurt." Aang's thoughts then turned to a more painful subject. Even though he didn't want to ask, he had to know…he had to hear her say it. "Zuko…he told us what happened—about the Sons…and about you and him."

Pain coalesced across her pale reflection, along with sorrow. "Then you know why I had to save him."

"…So it's true. You _do_ love him."

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry, Aang. I should have told you sooner."

"I just can't…" He felt as if he was grasping at straws, trying to make sense of it all. "You used to _hate_ him. I don't understand it."

"You're right, I did used to hate him," she softly answered, "but most of that hate was fueled by my own prejudices against the Fire Nation. Once I stopped seeing him as a symbol of his country, and got to know the real Zuko, I realized that we weren't so different from each other—that he understood what it was like to lose someone very close to him. It felt like I could talk to him about anything, so we did…and soon I began to see him as something more than a friend. I didn't realize exactly how much my feelings had changed, however, until that day of the Agni Kai. I knew, then, that I did love him…I was just too afraid to admit it, even to myself. Still, I should have talked to you, and told you how I felt. Instead, I hid my feelings because I was trying to protect you and our friendship. But in the end, all I did was cause us both more pain, and for that, I'm truly sorry."

Aang looked away. "To be honest, when Zuko told me that you two loved each other…it hurt, and it made me so angry. Just the thought of you and Zuko together still makes me jealous." He forced himself to meet her gaze again. "I know that you told me you just wanted to be friends, and I know I need to let my feelings for you go, it's just that…it's hard to move on. I have loved you for a long time, Katara—ever since that day you pulled me out of the iceberg. You were everything that I thought a girl should be—kind, caring, and compassionate, but also tough and fearless. I…I guess I'm trying to say that there's still a part of me that loves you, Katara, and I'm not sure if that will ever go away."

Much to his surprise, a small smile appeared on her lips. "What you and I share _is_ very special, Aang, and though it may not be romantic love, that doesn't make it any less important, or powerful. Someday, I hope you will come to know that, not just in there-" she pointed to head, "but also in here…" she then laid her hand over his heart.

Even though there was no physical contact, he still felt a flush of warmth spread from where her hand lay close to him. He looked up and caught her gaze again, and for the first time since he had heard the awful news, Aang smiled. As the two of them shared that moment, he inexplicably felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Eventually Katara was the first who looked away, and when she did, her lips turned into a frown. She didn't say anything right away, which concerned Aang.

"Katara, is everything alright?"

"I'm hearing it again," she answered wistfully, "it was soft at first, but now it's growing stronger."

"What's growing stronger?"

"His voice. _Zuko's_ voice." She said his name with such warmth and fervor that it sent a small pang of jealousy through Aang. This time though, he found that he was able to let it go. Katara had become silent once more, so he tried to ask her again.

"You said 'again'. You've heard his voice before?"

"Yes. Before, when I was drifting…I heard his voice and I tried to follow it. It's what led me to this place…the Spirit World. But it's much louder now than it was before." Katara brought both her hands and held them out in front of her to stare at them. "Something is happening. I've never felt this before. It's almost like…like I can feel myself, but in a different place. I don't understand…"

Aang shared her confusion, until a thought suddenly struck him. Excitement rushed through him. "I think I might know what's going on. We have to get back to the Earth King's palace, now!"

"But how do we do that?"

"Just close your eyes," Aang instructed her, "and picture the front of the palace in your mind. Really concentrate on it, and try to remember as much details of it as you can." He then stretched both his arms out and placed his hands on the top of both of hers. "We're going to go together. Now, concentrate on traveling there, at that one particular spot…"

Aang closed his eyes as the world shifted around them—or they shifted around the world—and opened them again when he knew they had arrived. The pale image of the palace stood in front of them, an almost exact replica of its other counterpart. Aang turned back to Katara. "You can open your eyes now."

She opened them and smiled when she saw the familiar architecture. "We did it…or you did it, I guess I should say."

He smiled. "No, you had it right the first time. _We_ did it…together."

Her smile quickly faded though, and her gaze turned inward. "That feeling is _much_ stronger now. It's almost pulling me it's so close. It's somewhere inside."

Her blue form appeared to glide as she made her way across the entrance that led to the large double gates of the palace. Aang didn't say anything as they headed down the long hallway, so as not to break her concentration. When they came to the first large antechamber, Katara didn't hesitate in choosing the left hallway. The door to the first room they approached was already open, so they went and stepped inside. Not surprisingly, there was no one in the room, but that didn't seem to bother Katara. Without pausing, she went straight for a large sofa that was off to the right of the room. When she finally stood in front of it, she stared down at it as if trying to figure out something. She ran her hand over the cushions, as if testing the feeling.

"This is it," she quietly announced. "This is where it's coming from. But what does it mean?"

"It means that help has arrived," Aang told her as he came up next to her, "but I still don't understand _how_."

They both watched in awe as a soft, glowing light began to gather in front of them. It kept growing larger and longer, until it had spread out into an oblong shape on the sofa, almost like a person's outline. The light then reached out to Katara and embraced her. She didn't seem alarmed at the action, but rather was fascinated by it. "The warmth…I can feel it again. And I can feel _him_."

The light kept growing brighter, until it reached the point where Aang could no longer look at her.

"Katara?"

Finally, the brilliance of the light forced him to shut his eyes against it. He tried to call out to her, but there was no answer. Even with his eyes closed, the light still penetrated through the darkness in his vision. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it was gone, and his vision went dark. When he opened his eyes and looked over to the sofa, he gasped.

Katara was gone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She was drifting again. But this time, it was not in darkness. She was surrounded by the light. It was everywhere and everything—the light, and its warmth. That, and the voice.

 _His_ voice.

 _I need you to come back… I love you, Katara._

Zuko.

Power slammed into Katara, sending a jolt throughout her entire system. The warmth of the healing magic surged through her, bringing life and vitality flooding back to every single fiber of her being. Her limbs and torso began to tingle as she regained sensation in them one by one. Suddenly, the muscles in her lungs spasmed, causing her to gasp for breath. Wonderful, sweet air flowed through her airways, filling her lungs and sending her heart pumping. Her awakening mind was still trying to wrap itself around what was happening, when she heard his low, husky voice again.

"Katara!"

Her eyes fluttered open. A pair of bright, golden eyes stared deep into hers. Another jolt ran through her, though this one was made of sheer joy and happiness.

"Zuko…" Katara managed to gasp, just before the two of them flew into each other's arms.

They embraced, without words, just feeling the presence of each other. She felt his warmth, his breathing, his quaking. His hands trembled as he fiercely clutched her to him, whispering her name. Katara wrapped her arms even tighter around him. She didn't ever want to let him go.

In that instant, Katara had never felt so alive before. So _whole_. She could feel her heart racing in her chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through her veins again. Her lungs breathed deeply with the sweet, musky scent that came off of his skin. It radiated with a heat that wrapped her in a warm, blissful cocoon. She wanted his arms around her forever.

Zuko twisted in her arms, and brought one of his hands up to intertwine in the mass of hair behind her neck. The movement stirred something deep within Katara—a hunger that surprised even her with its intensity. They met each other's gaze at the same instant, right before they came together, in a rush.

Impossibly, Zuko pulled her even tighter against him as he crushed his lips to her own. By the way his mouth moved urgently against hers, Katara knew that he had missed her as earnestly as she did him. So she kissed him back, desperately, as if she needed nothing so much from life as to be in his arms kissing him.

They finally rested, her cheek nestled against his, as they both tried to catch their breath. Katara sighed when she felt Zuko's fingers trace across the side of her face, memorizing its curves and contours, and softly wiping away the tears which had trickled down its surface. He pulled back, to look into her eyes, when she noticed the tears streaming down his face as well. He sucked in a sharp breath. The hand cupping her cheek began to tremble.

"I still can't believe you're here," Zuko whispered to her. "I thought I'd lost you for good."

"I _was_ lost," she answered with a small smile, "but it was your voice that guided me back. I wouldn't have found my way without you."

"But Katara, I…It was my fault that you were attacked in the first place. I should have never-"

She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "I told you…I made a choice, and I would make it again if I had to, because I _love_ you."

He slowly closed his eyes, letting her words sink in. There was a note of awe in his voice. "I've dreamed of hearing you say that for so long, I almost can't believe it's really happening…that you're really here."

Instead of answering, Katara leaned in and kissed his lips again. A hot, passionate kiss.

"Feels real to me," she said breathlessly.

A beautiful smile then blossomed on his lips—one that made Katara's breath catch. His golden eyes were now blazing with that warm light that sent her pulse racing even faster. "I love you, Katara," he softly told her.

And then he kissed her, long and deep.

Some moments later, the sound of someone softly clearing their throat next to them caught their attention. When Katara looked over, she saw Samira standing next to them, looking a little off to the side. The corners of her lips, however, were turned up in a small smile. "It's good to see that you made it, Katara."

"Mistress Samira!" Katara uttered in surprise as she let go of Zuko's waist. He moved so that she could sit all the way up, with her feet on the ground. With Zuko's help, she stood up, and after a few moments of regaining her balance, she went and embraced the older woman. "It was you that healed me, with the Spirit Oasis water, wasn't it?"

"Yes, I did," Samira told her with a smile, "but I had a lot of help. Suki was the one who came and brought me here."

"Suki?" As if summoned by her own name, Suki stepped into her view, with Sokka just a step behind her. Her brother came closer to her, relief plastered all over his face.

"Katara, you're alright!"

"Sokka!" Katara quickly came up to her brother and enveloped him in a hug. He hugged her back just as fiercely.

"I'm so glad that you're okay," he whispered to her as they embraced. "I couldn't stand the thought of you losing you too…"

His voice became too choked with emotion to finish the sentence, but Katara knew what he had meant. He had been thinking about their mom. With another heartfelt squeeze, she let him go and gave him a smile. "I know, Sokka. I'm glad that I'm back too."

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that we weren't too late," Suki told her as the two friends hugged each other.

"But how did you know that Samira had Spirit Oasis water?"

"I got a glance of it sitting in the locked cabinet while Samira was putting up some medicine one time." Suki stepped closer to Sokka again and grabbed one of his hands. "But I thought it would be better if I did say anything about it to anyone. Then when I found out what happened earlier, I knew I had to find Samira, and try to use it."

"And it wasn't a moment too soon," Samira added. "You were almost too far gone for the healing to work."

Zuko came up to Katara and gently placed a hand on the small of her back. She looked over at him, and the two of them shared a small, private smile. "I wouldn't have made it back, if it hadn't been for Zuko and Aang."

"When did you see Aang?" Sokka asked in surprise.

"In the Spirit World. He was the one that found me and helped me to travel to the palace here in Ba Sing Se, while we were both still there. Speaking of Aang…" she looked around the room, but frowned when she didn't see him. "Where is he?"

"He went to find someplace quiet where he could mediate. Someone needs to go tell him where we are-"

"-That won't be necessary," a voice told them from behind their group.

Katara recognized that voice in an instant. "Aang!" She saw him step in into the room and immediately hurried over to him. A big grin stole over his face when he saw her. The next moment, she was hugging him.  
Now that he was here, Katara felt complete. When they finally both let go, they were both smiling, with tears in their eyes. "When we were in the Spirit World," she told him, "I never got the chance to thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"For showing me the way when I was lost. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

"Isn't that what friends are for?" He answered, making them both remember an earlier conversation they had many weeks ago.

"Not just a friend," Katara took his hand and squeezed it, "but a _best_ friend."

He squeezed her hand in return. "You were right, Katara. We do share something special, and I don't ever want to lose that between us."

Katara felt her heart lighten. "I don't either." They shared another long, heartfelt hug. "Come on, let's get back to the others."

Still holding his hand, she pulled him back to the center of the room, where the rest of her friends were. Zuko's expression immediately sobered as he met Aang's gaze.

"Aang…" Katara could hear regret and a touch of nervousness in Zuko's voice as he addressed the younger boy, "I should have been honest with you from the beginning—about Katara and me, and about the Sons and Sozin. I'm sorry that I wasn't. I do value your friendship, and I hope that, in time, I can earn your forgiveness and your trust again."  
A flash of sadness crossed Aang's features before he schooled them again. "I admit that, when you first told me about the two of you, it hurt a lot—and it still hurts some. For the longest time, I thought that Katara and I were going to be together. She's been one of my closest friends and teachers, and over time, I have come to love her too. I've started to realize, however, that it's a different type of love-" He glanced over at Katara, and they shared a small smile, "-but one that is still special, and very important."

Aang turned his attention back to Zuko. "When we're hurt, it's all too easy to lash out in anger, as I did today. Violence, however, isn't the answer. I want to apologize to you for my actions earlier. I shouldn't have let my anger get so out of control, and then try to take it out on you."

"A wise person I know once said that forgiveness was the first step you had to take to begin healing," Zuko answered softly. "That person has already been forgiven…and I hope he can forgive me as well."

"He can…and will," Aang added with a small smile. Katara saw relief wash over Zuko as he returned his smile. Aang held the other boy's stare a few moments longer before his expression turned somber once again. "If it's okay with you guys I want to go find Kuei. I want to make sure he's okay."

Iroh, who had been standing off to the side during their reunions, now chimed in. "That's probably a good idea. The guards outside should be able to tell you where the Earth King is."

"Alright, thanks." Aang nodded before he left. There was still some worry showing in Zuko's expression as he watched him leave. Katara came up beside Zuko and reached for his hand.

"Zuko-" she started to hesitate, but made herself continue. "What did Aang mean when he said he lashed out in anger? What happened between the two of you?"

"I can't go into it," he quietly replied, "not yet at least." He took a deep breath and then refocused his attention on his uncle. "Uncle, can you ask some of the other White Lotus members to stay here in the palace for a while? I think it's best if we regrouped and talked about what to do next with everyone."

Iroh nodded. "We will need a few hours to find everyone and spread the word, so I suggest having the meeting this evening." Iroh then directed his gaze towards Katara. "And it would give some of us a chance to get some much needed rest."

"I'm fine," Katara tried to reassure them, but one quick glance around the room told her that no one was buying it.

It was actually Samira who spoke up first. She had been patiently observing from the back of the group, but then stepped forward at Katara's protest. "You have undergone a tremendous amount of healing, Katara. You used more energy in the healing process than you realize, and your body will need to recuperate from it. You need to rest-" When Katara opened her mouth to speak, Samira added a little more sternly, "-now."

Sighing, Katara gave in. "Alright. I'll head to my room."

"I'll go with you," Zuko quickly told her, "and then I'll probably need to go find Kenshin."

"Do you have to go right away?" She couldn't explain it, but a sudden fear seized her at the thought of being separated from him—even if it was just the opposite side of the palace. "I just got you back—I'm not going to let you out of my sight that easily."

Seeming to sense her underlying fear, Zuko's hand came up to brush her cheek as he looked deep into her eyes. Everything else dropped away under his intense gaze. "I already made the mistake once of sending you away, I'm not going to do it again, I promise."

Katara's heart started racing as she continued to stare into his golden eyes. "Then you should know," she uttered softly, "That I plan on holding you to that promise."

"Then you have my permission."

"To do what?"

His smile sent a wave of butterflies racing through her stomach. "To pull half the ocean down on top of me the next time I even think of taking on the Sons by myself."

Katara grinned as she remembered the sparring match they had shared before—in what seemed like a lifetime ago. "It wasn't half the ocean. It only seemed like that to you because you lost."

He smirked. "That's not how I remember it." Zuko was playfully bantering with her again, like they had done so much in the past, and she could tell he was savoring every moment of it just as much as she was.

"Then rematch me again, and I'll 'refresh' your memory."

He dipped his head closer to hers. "You're on."

Reading his intentions, Katara pushed herself up to rapidly close the distance between them. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she gave him a very, thorough kiss. It didn't very long for her brother, Sokka, to notice.

"Hold on…Hey!" His voice turned into a shriek. "That's my sister you're kissing!"

Katara and Zuko's kiss abruptly ended as they both dissolved into laughter. Sokka, however, wasn't very amused.

"You two still have a lot of explaining to do yet…especially the part about how you 'conveniently' forgot to tell your older brother and your friend that you were dating and smooching behind his back—will you two stop laughing already!"

Zuko finally quieted down, enough to ask her, "So, should we do as your brother asks before he goes into a conniption fit?"

Katara grinned mischievously. "In a moment…"

She unabashedly pulled him down for another kiss. Zuko eagerly complied.

"What are you—?" Sokka's horrified tone cut through the air. "Will you cut that out already!"

Even though a part of her knew that the danger wasn't over yet, she couldn't help but feel elated. She felt complete now, surrounded by her family and friends. It felt good to be home once again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kenshin hurried down the large, stone hallways of the palace, trying to avoid running into the numerous people that were swarming its length. He had only just heard the news about the Sons of Sozin's attacks, and was trying to find out where Fire Lord Zuko might be. There were rumors that people had been injured, some even fatal, but the reports on who it might be were conflicting.

He finally found the throne room, and though it took him several moments, he managed to track down Jiang as well. The Chief Advisor looked very shook up, but unharmed as far as Kenshin could see. He stepped closer to the man and gave a short, polite bow of his head. "Jiang, it is good to see you're unharmed. I was wondering if you could answer a few, quick questions I had."

"If I can," the man answered shakily, "everything is in an uproar right now…"

"I understand. I need to find Fire Lord Zuko, though. Do you know where he is?"

"The guards informed me that he and Avatar Aang are near the front entrance of the palace. The guards posted there should be able to give you more details when you arrive."

"Thank you," Kenshin gratefully replied. As he was turning to go, Jiang caught his sleeve.

"I not sure what this means, but one of the assassins…he gave me a letter before he was captured."

"A letter? To whom?"

"To Fire Lord Zuko. The man said it was very important that it reached him, and that he would hold me personally responsible for it if it wasn't." The other man reached into one of his inner pockets and pulled out the letter. He handed it to Kenshin. "I think it's best if I leave it with you."

"…thank you," Kenshin replied, a little taken aback. _Why would one of the assassins want to give Fire Lord Zuko a letter right before they tried to kill him? It makes no sense._

Intrigued, Kenshin gently broke the seal on the folded letter and opened it. As he continued to read the precise, flowing handwriting on its crisp parchment, his heart began to fill with dread. When he finally came to the signature at the bottom, his blood turned cold. The letter slipped out of his hands, falling to the floor.

It was Setsuko's.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Okay, we have officially caught up to where I last posted on this story back in the day (before I foolishly deleted this story off and abandoned it...it was a regrettable phase I went through). The good news I'm back to writing on it again and already have the next chapter lined up and working on finishing ch. 24. This chapter marks the end of the third arc of my story, so the next chapter will begin the fourth and final arc-we are on the final leg of the journey!

Thanks to everyone who left a review on the last chapter! Stay tuned for more to come ;-)


	23. In Too Deep

Zuko knew he should be resting. The injury on his right side was technically healed, but it still ached with every slight twist he made. One of the water tribe healers had reiterated to him once again that, though the wound was closed and essentially 'put back to right', he still needed to rest and recover from the healing process. He could have told the woman that he already knew all of that, and that he had been through more waterbending healing sessions in the last few months than most people received in their entire lives. Instead, he had merely nodded his head and thanked her. His new injury didn't worry him, however. He had received much worse in the past, and in any case, it was not cause enough to take his attention from _her_. She was the only thing he wanted to focus on right now

Katara was lying on her bed facing him, but still fast asleep. She had tried to stay awake as long as possible, stubbornly insisting that she didn't actually need sleep as much as she needed to see him. Though in the end, she had finally succumbed. Before she had finally drifted off, she had made him promise not to leave her side. There were plans to be made, and so many things to do, not the least of them finding Kenshin, but when she had asked him to stay, all of that had vanished. Nothing at that moment could pull him away from her. And so he sat on the little green cushioned chair right beside her bed, and continued to gaze at her, thankful that she was in front of him.

At some point, he heard the door in the other room being opened and immediately became alert. There were guards posted outside of Katara's apartments and swarming everywhere now inside of the Ba Sing Se palace. Zuko knew it was probably a friend of theirs, but at this point he still couldn't completely let his guard down. He quietly stood and put himself in between Katara's bed and the door to her bedroom while he waited for the person to show themselves. The door only opened part of the way, and a head then stuck out in between. Zuko sighed in relief when he realized it was Sokka. Maybe another time he would have laughed at the boy's antics, but right now he was just glad it was a friendly face.

"Hey, Sokka."

The water tribe boy seemed satisfied by something and smiled slightly but gave no explanation. He opened the door the rest of the way and quietly came into the room closer to both Zuko and the bed. "Hey, Zuko," he kept his voice down, "so how is she?"

Zuko went to sit back in his chair once again. Even though he didn't need to, he went ahead and checked Katara's inert form, reassuring himself that everything was okay. "She's fine-she's been sleeping for a little while now." He made himself turn his attention back to the other boy. "How is it going out there?"

Sokka didn't seem too happy about the quick change in topic, but nonetheless he answered his question. "It's pretty hectic, to be honest. They swept the entire palace now and everyone in it—which was no small task, let me tell ya—and got everyone accounted for and everything secured. They're not taking any chances though. The entire place is on lockdown for the rest of the day." Sokka noticeably puffed up a little bit and proudly continued. "Nothing goes in or out for the time being, and I mean nothing—not even food supplies at this point—and the only way a person can be allowed in is if they are personally greeted and approved by a member of the 'Supreme Council'."

Zuko was almost afraid to ask, but he went ahead anyways. "What 'Supreme Council'?"

"It's something I started," he answered smugly. "We have to make sure to control what comes in and out of this place right now and make sure the right people are the ones making decisions—for security reasons of course. So I came up with a new name for those of us that are part of the most trusted, inner circle of power."

"Inner circle of power, huh?"

"Yeah, you know, for us heads of state and important types of course."

Zuko rolled his eyes. He didn't know how, but once again Sokka was able to lighten a situation that had everyone on edge. Right now, it was a talent that he himself wished he could duplicate.

"So who exactly is in this 'Supreme Council'?"

"The Earth King and his advisor Jiang, and the White Lotus members" Sokka replied as he started to count on his fingers, "and then's Aang, and me and Suki, and Iroh and Samira…" he trailed off in thought for a moment, and focused back on Zuko. "Oh! And you and Katara and your secretary Kenshin of course," he added with a lopsided smile. "So it's a pretty small list, but that's good because it's easier to coordinate that way. And speaking of coordinating…Iroh said that the other White Lotus members are here now, so we could start the meeting whenever you're ready."

Mention of the meeting made Zuko's mind shift to other topics, and with a frown he turned his attention back on Katara. Some of his worry must have still shown on his expression, because Sokka stood there silently for a little while before he spoke.

"So…you really do care about her, don't you?"

Different memories resurfaced at the other boy's question, and Zuko took a steadying breath before he answered, very simply, "Yes, I do."

Sokka was quiet for a few moments, as if deep in thought. "You know…back when you found us at the Western Air Temple, I didn't like the idea of you joining us. I was angry with you for all the times you tried to capture us and Aang, but mostly, it was because I just didn't trust you. I thought that it was just another trick for you to somehow capture Aang. But Aang, for whatever crazy reason he had, decided to give you a chance, and so I went along with him, even though I didn't agree with it."

Zuko smiled a little at the memory, though it was tinged with sadness. "When did that finally change?"

"It started when you helped me rescue our dad from Boiling Rock. You didn't have to go along with me, or do any of the other crazy stuff we ended up doing there, but you did…and that meant a lot to me. But the big thing, the real tipping point for me was when you came back with Katara after dealing with Yon Rha." Zuko turned to him in surprise, and Sokka nodded, as if to answer his unspoken question. "Yeah, I saw you, Katara, and Aang on the pier. I watched as Katara hugged you for the first time. I knew it would have taken a lot for her to do that, especially with our history and how she had felt about you since day one." A small smile tugged at his lips. "It was at that point that I knew I could trust you, because you had become one of us. And when Katara went off with you to fight Azula, I wasn't worried…because I knew that you would watch out for her."

Sokka then broke off his gaze and shuffled a little uncomfortably. "What I still don't understand though, is why didn't you or Katara tell me about the two of you being a couple? I mean, yeah it would have shocked the hell out of me, but I wouldn't have been mad at you for it…" His expression turned a little sheepish, "well, maybe I would have been a _little_ mad at first, but then I would have gotten over it. With everything we've been through, Zuko, I wouldn't have held it against you."

Zuko sighed. "I know, Sokka, and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. Katara wanted to wait and tell the rest of you guys after she had talked to Aang…"

"…But that never happened, huh?" Sokka asked, even though he had already answered his own question.

He nodded. "And then the Sons of Sozin attacked at the dance, and I thought it would be better—safer—for Katara if she went with you guys to find Kuei, so I...broke it off."

Sokka shook his head, "That whole time…I thought she was acting like that because of what happened with Aang, but it was really because the two of you had split."

A part of him wanted to stay silent, but Zuko forced himself to ask the question. He had to know. "What happened afterwards?"

Sokka's expression turned very grim, and he directed a hard stare at Zuko. "She tried to hide it, but I could tell that something was eating her up. For the first few days, she wouldn't even say two words to anyone or let anyone even look at her. She eventually started coming back to the group, but she wouldn't joke, or laugh, or even smile for spirit's sake. And that temper of hers…geez, I would be in the middle of eating dinner or something and she would just snap and bite my head off for no apparent reason!-" He abruptly realized he was starting to talk louder and quickly lowered his voice again. "Well, and then there was that one time she started crying and ran off…I still have no idea if it was something I said or what…"

Zuko quickly turned away from the other boy. _It wasn't because of you, Sokka, it was because of me_. He tried to say the words, but at that moment he couldn't find his voice. Perhaps Sokka had seen some of the guilt and pain that had flashed across his face, because he continued.

"I didn't bring it up just to accuse you, Zuko. I just don't want her to go through that again…because I care a lot about her too, you know?"

Zuko nodded. "I understand." He made himself look Sokka square in the eyes, and hold his gaze. "I know what I did hurt her, and believe me when I say that not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about it. I can't promise what the future holds, but I will swear to you that I will never again send her away against her will. It was a terrible mistake on my part, and one that I won't repeat."

The two of them didn't say anything for a moment as they simply held each other's gaze. After they had come to an unspoken understanding of sorts, Sokka gave a slight nod. "Alright, well I'm glad we're on the same page." He seemed to shrug off the somber mood, becoming more upbeat once again. "Because you know I'm still her big brother, which means I get to be protective of her too."

"Yes," Zuko answered with smile, "I know."

"Good."

A noise suddenly distracted Zuko, but he quickly realized it was coming from where Katara was lying on her bed. She gave a deep sigh, and then wiggled her nose a little bit before slowly starting to open her eyes.

"Zuko?" she whispered as she tried to blink away her sleepiness.

He leaned towards her and gently grabbed one of her hands, "Yes, it's me."

Katara smiled, and the sight of it instantly warmed him. "You stayed."

"I told you I would." He smirked. "No one, not even the Earth King himself, could order me out of this room right now."

"That's so?" Her sleepiness was quickly vanishing. "I seem to remember a particular moment in your own palace where you nearly ran out of my room because my dad was waiting on the other side of the door."

Zuko chuckled. "Well, your dad's not here right now, so I believe my statement still stands."

"If you say so," she answered, still smiling. Her eyes roamed over his face for several moments, before she finally explored the rest of the room. Then her gaze landed on her brother. "Sokka!" she uttered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Can't a concerned, older brother stop by and check on his little sister in peace?"

"Yes, of course." Katara then squinted a little at her brother, as if more closely examining him. "But you have that look on your face like you were talking about me or something."

Sokka dramatically clapped a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Yeah…I needed to have a little heart-to-heart with Zuko, since you two just decided to suddenly become boyfriend and girlfriend _again_." He aimed a sharp, pointed look at Katara. "Though, you kinda forget to mention the first time around to your one and only big brother."

Katara blushed, and quickly sat up in her bed. "Look Sokka...I know that I should have told you. I really did mean to, it was just that…a lot of stuff was happening, and it was…-"

"-kinda a big deal that _my little sister_ was dating the current Fire Lord of the _entire Jerk-bender nation_ and never told me! No offense, Zuko-"

"-none taken-" Zuko answered, somewhat amused, as Katara took a deep breath.

"…I was going to say 'complicated'," she told her brother, then she softened her tone. "Yes, Sokka, I realize that it wasn't really an excuse, and I should have told you right away. I'm sorry I didn't."

Sokka stood there for a moment, perhaps surprised at her sudden genuine apology, before he finally nodded. "Apology accepted. Just make sure to keep me in the loop next time, alright?" His icy blue eyes softened. "I can't exactly protect my sister if I don't know what's going on."

She arched an eyebrow at him, "You know that I'm perfectly capable of-"

"-Yes, yes, I know, a master waterbender and all that," he quickly interrupted her. "But you know what I mean."

For a moment, Katara looked like she was about to argue the point of exactly who would be protecting who, but then she smiled. "Yeah, I know."

Sokka held her gaze for a few moments longer, then suddenly cleared his throat and shifted his stance. "Anyways, I just came by to let you guys know that everyone is here, so we can have the meeting now whenever you're ready."

"We will in a moment," Zuko answered him, "I need to make sure that Katara gets something to eat first."

Katara frowned. "Do I get a say in the matter?"

"No," both he and Sokka answered at the same time. Katara started to protest at this, but Zuko stalled her. "I gave the healer my word. Besides, I need to eat something too."

Her tone was suspicious. "Because you're hungry…or because you needed healing too?"

"Honestly, both."

She immediately got up and moved closer to him, "Healing for what?"

The last thing he wanted was for Katara to spend any more energy healing right now. "It's just something on my side. It's not a big deal."

"I'll be the judge of that, thank you." She motioned him to stand up. "Let me see it."

He didn't budge. "It's fine. One of the waterbenders already took care of it."

But instead of reassuring her, it seemed to have to the opposite effect. She crossed her arms and gave Zuko a hard stare, as if preparing for a verbal battle-of-wills with him. Sokka seemed to sense this as well, and wisely chose at that moment to give them a little more space. "Even if they did," Katara insisted, "I still want to check on it."

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, I've heard that before, and it turned out to be more than just nothing."

"That was different. This wasn't lightning directed by my sister. It was just a small, glancing blow from a fire attack."

"That may be true, but I still want to check it out."

"Katara…" He stopped his protest when he saw her expression become even more determined. If he wasn't so frustrated at the situation, he would have found it adorable. He sighed. "…You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Nope."

With a shake of his head he finally stood up. "And yet _I'm_ the one who was supposed to be as stubborn as on ox mule."

The corners of Katara's lips turned up slightly as she glided closer to him. She suddenly had a mischievous glint in her eyes. "If I am being stubborn, it's only because I'm trying to faithfully fulfill my duties as your personal healer. Now, are you going to let me look at your injury or not?"

Picking up on her flirtatious mood, he stepped closer and slipped his arms around her waist. "You know, I'm starting to think you may have other motivations for being so insistent."

"What are you talking about?" She asked, a touch breathless. He noted that her breathing had noticeably quickened, most likely due to his close proximity. "I…I just need to check the healing progress."

"Uh-huh." He smirked. "You sure it's not just another excuse for me to take my shirt off?"

Katara instantly blushed a deep shade of red. "No, that's not it at all!" she sputtered, "I…I just-"

No longer able to resist, Zuko squeezed her tighter against him and bent down to kiss her, cutting off the rest of her words. Caught off guard, she was completely still for the span of heartbeat, but before another had past, she began to eagerly respond back in kind. As she deepened the kiss, her arms quickly slid behind his back, bringing them even closer together. The feel of her lips and the warmth of her pressed up against him was a sensory overload, making him feel suddenly heady. Just as everything around him was starting to slip away, a noise suddenly brought him back to reality.

"Eh-hem!" Sokka loudly cleared his throat, making the two of them quickly end their kiss. "Yeah…still right here…and to be honest, the whole 'Zuko-kissing-my-sister' thing is still kinda weird for me, so if you don't mind..."

Zuko couldn't help but grin at Katara, who was blushing like a sunset. "Right. I'll try to keep that in mind…"

Sokka shook his head, a slightly bemused expression on his face. "Well, it seems like the two of you are feeling _fine_ _and dandy_ , so I'll go ahead and head back to the others." He then directed a stern look at Zuko. "You won't be too long before you come to the meeting, right?"

"No, we won't be long." Sobering, he glanced back to Katara. "We'll grab something to eat _first_ , then you can look at my side. Deal?"

She gave a satisfied nod. "Deal."

"Alright," Sokka gave them both one last, pointed look. "Then I'll the others know you'll be coming _very soon_."

"Yes, Sokka!" Katara told her brother, a touch exasperated. "We got it."

"Well…just saying." Sokka, however, seemed pleased at their responses and started heading out. After her brother left, a somber mood seemed to settle over the room. When Katara looked backed at Zuko, he could see worry in her eyes.

"That meeting that Sokka is talking about…you're going to be talking to them about the Sons of Sozin, aren't you?"

"Yes. I want to make sure the others know what's going on. They deserve the truth."

She grabbed his hand. "And what are you planning to do about them?"

Zuko took a sharp breath. "Well, that depends."

"Depends on what?"

"On who is going to come back to the capital with me."

He could tell his answer took her by surprise. "What do you mean? Of course we'll all go with you, Zuko."

"I don't want to assume _anything_ at this point. I want everyone to know _exactly_ what the Sons of Sozin have done and what they are capable of before I let anyone come with me." He gave her meaningful look. "And that includes _you_ , Katara."

"I already know what the Sons are capable of, and I don't care."

"Katara, listen to me," he softly pleaded with her. "Whether or not you stay here in Ba Sing Se or come to the Fire Nation with me is a choice that only you can make." Katara immediately opened her mouth to reply, but Zuko gently cut her off. "—But I want you to know how I feel first, and then you can decide."

When she slowly nodded her assent, he continued. "Taking down the Sons of Sozin is going to be one of the biggest challenges we've ever faced, and to be honest, right now I don't even have a clue as to how to do that. The Sons have proven time and time again how deadly and resourceful they are in any situation." He took a ragged breath. "I already nearly lost you…If it were up to me, I would make you stay here in Ba Sing Se, as far away from the Sons of Sozin as I could manage it. I know, however, that I can't force you to stay." He swallowed painfully. "I already tried that once…" He continued in a hoarse whisper, "but I can't—I _won't_ —do that again."

Katara reached up and slowly brushed some of his long hair back from his eyes. "That's all I wanted to hear." Instead of taking her hand away, she gently rested it against the roughness of his scar. "I understand why you made the choices you did, and I've already forgiven you for it. But the only way this is going to work is if we trust each other, and not keep the other in the dark."

Zuko let her words soak in as he savored the warmth of her touch. When his thoughts turned again to how close he had come to losing her, he shuttered. _I_ won't _make that mistake again_. "That's why I want you to know how I feel, so you can decide whether or not you want to come with me. I won't think any less of you if you wanted to stay."

Her blue eyes brimmed with warmth. "I know it's not a decision to make lightly," Katara gently told him, "but it's a decision that I've already made. I won't stay here and cower in fear while you're risking your life taking on the Sons. If you're heading back to the Fire Nation, then I'm coming with you."

Zuko held her gaze for a moment longer, and when he saw the conviction in her eyes, he nodded. "Then we will deal with them together."

She must have heard something in his tone, because her brow furrowed a little. "The thought of me coming along to help with the Sons scares you, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," he quietly answered. Bit and pieces of what happened earlier that day came back to him, but along with it came the empty void. He could feel its icy tendrils spreading out from his middle as he remembered holding Katara on the stairs, at the end. _Agni help me, but I can't go through that again. I would do anything to protect her from that fate._ "I can't—I don't want you in harm's way because I don't want to lose you again." He took a ragged breath. "Just the thought of it terrifies me…but I can't stop you from coming. I just-" He wanted to continue, but his throat constricted as tears began to fill his eyes.

Katara put her other hand on his chest, right on top of where he could feel the aching void inside of him. Almost immediately, he could feel the coldness within his dissipating, as if her very touch was driving it back. "It's alright, Zuko. I'm here now." Tears began to gather in her eyes as well, but she ignored them as she leaned forward, until both their foreheads with touching.

Zuko closed his eyes and just focused on this moment. He felt the softness and warmth of her skin against his. He listened to the sound of their breathing intermingling. They were all things that were simple, yet precious. They also calmed him in a way he couldn't explain.

"I know you're afraid," she finally whispered. "I am too. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what kind of dangers we'll face, or what the future holds. But I can deal with that, because I know that I'll have you by my side. From now on, we're in this together." She pulled back a little, just so she could once again stare into his eyes. "I love you, Zuko."

All his remaining fears and worries were swept away with those few, simple words. He willingly lost himself in her deep, blue eyes. "I love you too."

Katara smiled then, through the tears. She leaned forward again, but this time it was to kiss him.

The light, playful air that was present earlier was gone. There was something in their kiss, a kind of solemn adoration for what they had found together. They had both come so close to losing each other, that each moment now was considered precious. And so he treasured this moment. It felt right. It felt…complete.

Sometime later, Zuko finally ended their kiss. Katara didn't remove her hand from his chest right away. Instead, she looked down at where her hand rested on his tunic and frowned slightly.

"I thought I felt something—are you wearing something under your tunic?"

He feel his cheeks heat up a little at her question. "Yeah...it's the bronze sun pendant you gave me before you left."

Katara looked pleasantly surprised at his answer, though her expression was tinged with sadness. "I wasn't sure what to do with it that day...but something told me to leave it for you. I'm happy to see that you hung on to it."

"I'm glad you did." He reached up and gently grabbed her hand on his chest with both of his. "It was my one constant reminder of you. Since that day, I've never taken it off."

"Really?" A small smile flitted across her lips. "You wore it every day since then?"

"Every single day. I even wore it during training, which unfortunately has now lead my uncle to the conclusion that I'm trying to start a new fashion trend."

That made her smile even bigger. "If that's the new trend, then I wholeheartedly approve."

He found himself gazing into her big, blue eyes again. As he had done numerous times in the last few hours, he sent a heartfelt prayer to Agni that he would never have to see the light go out of them ever again. He couldn't stop the slight shiver than ran through his entire body.

"Zuko, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." His mind once again turned to the upcoming meeting with his friend. "We better get something to eat so we can get going."

"What? Afraid that my big, bad brother will come after you?"

"Please," Zuko scoffed, "Sokka doesn't scare me. However…if I don't get you back in good time, I'll never hear the end of it from him, and I would really prefer to avoid that."

She smirked. "If you say so."

Katara then turned to head towards the other room. Zuko couldn't help but just stand and watch her go. He once again thanked Agni and whatever other spirits were out there for bringing her back to him, and then followed her into the other room.

* * *

There were several people in the large room already gathered for the meeting by the time Zuko and Katara got there. The largest group—consisting of Sokka, Suki, Iroh, Pakku, Piandao, and Jeong Jeong—were in the center of the room next to a very large and lavishly decorated table. Judging by the somber looks on most of their faces, they were no doubt in the middle of an important conversation. The other group in the room, however, was definitely _not_ having a serious discussion. Aang, Kuei, and Bumi were off to the side by themselves, and while Katara couldn't even begin to guess what they were talking about, somehow it involved a lot of arms waving around and hopping. Their laughter could be heard in bits here and there as one of the three would be talking. Aang was smiling and seemed to be a good mood, and that was a welcome sight for Katara.

Suki was the first one that saw the two of them. "Hey guys, you're finally here!" The other girl quickly came over to Katara and gave her hug.

Katara smiled. "I hope I didn't keep you guys waiting too long."

"Don't worry about it. Believe me, we've been plenty busy around here these last few hours."

Someone else came up behind Suki, and she realized it was Pakku. "And by the sound of things," her old master told her, "you really did need your rest." Before she could really respond, he came up and enfolded her in a hug, which she gladly returned. After they separated, Katara noted that there was a worried expression on his face. "Iroh told us what happened. I can't tell you how relieved I am to see that you're okay. I only just got a granddaughter, and I want her to be around for a very long time still."

"Thank you, Pakku—or 'Grandpa', I guess I should say," she corrected herself with a small smile.

"—I still think 'Grandpakku' is a better fit", her brother's voice called out nearby. Out of nowhere, Sokka appeared beside Pakku and casually leaned against the older man. "Am I right or what?" he said with an exaggerated wink.

Pakku gave a heavy sigh, which made Katara laugh. "Welcome to the family, Master Pakku." While Pakku and Sokka were occupied, Katara looked for Zuko and saw that he and his uncle were sharing a heartfelt hug. It made her smile, because she knew how much the older man meant to Zuko

By then Aang, Kuei, and Bumi had wandered over to the rest of the group. Aang came up to her with a small smile on his face, just like he had done so many times in the past. It was a sight that Katara was both grateful and happy to see.

"Hey, Katara. How are you feeling?"

"Much better now, thanks." She thought again about how he had guided her back from the Spirit World, and was overcome with gratitude. "I wouldn't have made it back if it wouldn't have been for you. I guess I really owe you one."

Aang blushed slightly. "Well…I kept thinking about how if the tables were turned, you wouldn't have given up on me, so I had to try…" He grinned. "I guess now you could consider us even."

"Yeah, but let's not try to add to that count any more, agreed?"

He nodded. "Agreed!"

"Alright gang!" Katara heard Sokka's voice call out above all the other talking. "It's time to get down to business." Everyone immediately quieted down and gathered around him and Zuko. Katara quickly moved over next to Zuko as Sokka started speaking again. "Now that everyone is here, it's time to formally begin our meeting of the _Supreme Council_."

From the slightly smug and proud look on her brother's face, Katara could probably safely assume this was something he had cooked up. "The Supreme Council?"

Beside her, she could hear Zuko sigh softly. "Don't ask," he muttered under his breath.

"Done."

Zuko took a deep breath and then stood a little straighter. Katara realized he was preparing himself to address the others. "I did want to talk to everyone here about the Sons of Sozin, because you have a right to know what is going on." His brow furrowed a little. "I was hoping that Kenshin would be here, though. Has anyone seen him?"

Iroh was the one who answered. "Kenshin is with Jiang right now helping him out. He was very insistent on needing to see you, but I told him that you were resting." The older man must have anticipated what his nephew was about to say, because he continued. "After everything that you had just been through, you needed to recuperate, and not just from your physical injury. It is important to remember that the mind needs rest as well, nephew. I told Kenshin that you would be available very soon. The two of them should be back any moment now."

Zuko nodded. "Thank you, Uncle." He hesitated, almost as if he was a little nervous, so Katara reached out to grab his hand. He smiled a little at this, and squeezed her hand back in unspoken acknowledgment. He looked back at everyone else. "The first thing I wanted to do was to…apologize, for my part in what happened today. It was my mistakes that led the Sons of Sozin here, and put everyone in danger, especially Katara, and for that, I'm deeply sorry. I don't know if an apology can ever make up for what happened, but please understand that, if I had known the danger my presence would have caused here, I would never have come in the first place."

"A wise man admits his mistakes," Master Piandao remarked, "but a _wiser_ man learns from them."

"Spoken after my own heart," Iroh added cheerfully. He soon sobered, however. "But it does raise the question, nephew, of why you made the mistake you did. What did the Sons do in order to make you think they were no longer a threat?"

Zuko's expression turned grim. "Everything changed the night General Shinu was murdered."

Katara heard some gasps around the room, but Iroh just nodded grimly. "I was afraid that some of the generals might be targeted during this period. The Sons of Sozin have always been a ruthless and cutthroat group. Do you know who murdered him?"

"We think it was one of the Sons that did it. I went there right after I found out about it. We had found several letters between Shinu and the Son's leader, Setsuko, that hinted at the fact that they had been in business for a while, and that Shinu was the one that had hired them to come after me. One of the last letters we found, however, had said that they had severed their ties to each other and had terminated the contact on me and Katara. I had thought that was the end of it, so I decided to come here to the peace conference."

"It must not have been closed," Suki commented, "otherwise the Sons would have never come here."

"Well, maybe they did call the hit off," Aang added, "but their people here in Ba Sing Se didn't get the message on time?"

Piandao shook his head. "I highly doubt that's the case. The Sons have some of the best communication systems around—they even rival that of the Fire Nation military."

"So if they knew the hit was called off, then why did they still attack here? It doesn't make sense."

"Unless…" Sokka mused out loud. Suddenly, his expression changed and he got excited. "Unless they just wanted you to _think_ that the hit was called off."

Katara seemed as confused as the rest of them at Sokka's abrupt change in thought. "What? What do you mean?"

"Think about it!" Sokka voice became rushed and slightly higher pitched, like so many other times when he had proposed his ideas to them. "What's the perfect way to get your target off their guard?— _you make them think that there's no threat anymore_. I bet the Sons made up some phony letters and planted them there just for Zuko to find and throw him off their scent." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "When you think about it, it's a pretty genius move—a purely evil and demented plan of action, of course—but genius nonetheless."

Suki didn't seem to buy it right away. "That's a pretty elaborate scheme just to throw someone off guard."

Thinking about all the things the Sons had done in the short time Katara and Zuko had been in the Fire Nation capital, it didn't surprise Katara. "I actually wouldn't put it past the Sons to do something like that," she told them. "They had impersonated the palace guards just to try to get closer to us. Their last several attacks had failed, so they were probably getting pretty desperate."

"Regardless of the reasons why," Zuko spoke up again, "the fact remains that the Sons are still after me and Katara. That's why I've decided to go back to the Fire Nation. As soon as I can, I'm going to take my ship back to the capital, and deal with the Sons once in for all."

Katara squeezed Zuko's hand. "Don't you mean _we_ are going back to the Fire Nation?"

Zuko caught her gaze, and her heartbeat quickened just slightly as he gave her a small smile. "We go back together, and do this as a team."

Katara was on the verge of losing herself in that golden gaze again, when Sokka abruptly cleared his throat, causing both Zuko and Katara to turn their attention towards him. "Ah, I hate to be the one pointing out the obvious…but what about the peace conference? Each one of us has a big responsibility in these peace talks that requires us to be here for it. We can't just forget about what is probably the most important meeting of our entire lives."

"I haven't forgotten about the peace conference, Sokka," Zuko patiently explained. "It's just going to have to be placed on hold for the moment. The Sons are too dangerous a threat to ignore right now."

"…or to face by yourself," Iroh interjected. "Others have tried to wipe out or control the Sons of Sozin, with no success. You will need all the help you can get to take them down."

Zuko shook his head. "I can't ask anyone else to risk their lives for me. Katara and I can take my ship back to the Fire Nation while the rest of you stay here—"

"—and 'cower in the corner'?" Suki pointedly interrupted him, "I'm sorry, Zuko, but we can't just sit back and let you take these guys on by yourselves."

"Yeah, that's not happening," Sokka replied unhappily. "If the two of you are dead set on diving back into a nest of fanatical assassins—" He looked back and forth between Zuko and Katara, who continued to stare at him, "—and I'll take that as a 'yes', then you can go ahead and count me and Suki in. There's no way I'm going to let you and Katara tackle them without me this time."

Zuko opened his mouth to protest, but Katara gave his hand a hard squeeze. "Zuko, I think it's time to realize that, like it or not, you're not going to handle this alone." She gave him a warm smile. "We're all one odd little family, remember? And family sticks together." As she and Zuko shared another smile, Iroh and the others chimed in.

"I couldn't have said it better myself!"

"That's right!" Suki nodded in agreement, while Sokka suddenly frowned.

"Wait a minute...who exactly are you calling 'odd'?-" Sokka suddenly stopped when he felt Suki give him a sharp nudge, "Ow! I mean, yeah—what Katara said."

But Zuko had become quiet again, and Katara sensed that something was still bothering him. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Zuko sighed. "I guess it's just hard to believe…that after everything that has happened, you guys still want to follow me. I've made so many mistakes…mistakes that have gotten people hurt, or worse…" His words trailed off as a pained expression crossed his features.

Iroh then came and gently placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "We follow you because we _believe_ in you, Zuko." When Zuko met his uncle's gaze, "A great leader is not characterized by his lack of mistakes, but by how he learns from the mistakes he makes. There is a lesson to be learned from the past. The question is, do _you_ know what that lesson is?"

After a few moments, Zuko nodded. "I do." He met Katara's gaze, and then slowly shifted it to include the others. "When the Sons showed up, I thought the best thing to do was to send everyone away for their own safety. I didn't want anyone getting hurt because of me and what my twisted family had done. What I didn't realize however, was that by sending everyone away, I was just making it worse. I should have told all of you what was happening, and let you decide whether or not you wanted to stay and help. I don't want to make the same mistake again. I want to make sure everyone here knows just how dangerous the Sons are before they make their decision, and that there are no hard feelings if they want to stay out of it."

Iroh didn't even look at the others as he addressed Zuko with a small smile. "I think I can safely speak for the Order of the White Lotus when I say that we want to help you, Zuko. We will leave with you on your ship when you leave for the Fire Nation."

Aang looked over at Zuko. "I want to help stop the Sons too. Some of us could take Appa back to the Fire Nation, and we could probably get their a little bit sooner than traveling by ship."

Zuko looked genuinely surprised as more of their friends jumped in with ideas of their own. But their conversation was soon interrupted by the door opening into their room. Katara looked over to see both Kenshin and Jiang enter the huge chamber. They quickly crossed over to the large group, and both gave a very deep bow. Jiang went over to stand by Kuei, and Kenshin did the same for Zuko.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" Kenshin hurriedly uttered. Katara could tell the small man was trying to keep up an appearance of calm, but she could tell he was extremely nervous…and perhaps worried? She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"The others told me what happened. Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"Yes, I'm fine now, thanks Kenshin. Iroh told me that you were looking for me?"

Another flash of emotion crossed the man's features, and this time Katara recognized it for what it was: fear. "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko. I have something very urgent for you." He then slipped a hand into an inside pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment that had been folded up. His hand trembled a little as Zuko reached out to take it. "Secretary Jiang was the one who received this letter, and he immediately passed it on to me. It was given to him by one of the assassins right before they started their attack. It is addressed to you."

"What?" Zuko looked shocked. "Why did they want to give me a letter? That makes no sense."

"I thought the same thing too, Fire Lord Zuko, so I took the liberty to open the letter and read it myself, considering the circumstances. I hope I have not overstepped myself."

"It's alright. I can see why you did. Who's it from?"

"Setsuko."

Katara felt Zuko involuntarily tighten his grip on her hand. His expression had become very grim. "Thank you, Kenshin." Zuko unfolded the parchment and started to read its contents. After several moments of silence, Katara could no longer contain herself.

"Zuko, what is it? What does he say?"

Anger began to seep into Zuko's voice as he explained. "Setsuko sent me this letter, in the event that the assassin attempt failed, in order to give me a message."

"What message?"

When he looked back into Katara's eyes, she was surprised to see his golden eyes smoldering with rage. He turned to look at Aang, Sokka, and Suki, and could barely keep his voice level. "To let me know that they raided the Prison Tower, and they now hold both Toph and Masato as their hostages."

Katara felt like the wind had just been knocked out of her. She could see her friends were equally as shocked.

"What?! How could this happen?"

"Are they okay?"

"Toph!-" She heard Aang cry out the name and saw his fists clench. His outburst surprised Katara at first, but there was something in the way he said Toph's name that sounded familiar to Katara. _Does he have feelings for Toph? Is that what I hear in his voice?_ Aang quickly regained some control before he addressed Zuko. "Did they say why they kidnapped them? Do they mention anything else?"

"There's only a little bit more." Zuko quickly scanned through the last few lines. Suddenly, Katara saw Zuko's eyes widen as he stopped reading. All the blood drained from his face.

"Zuko?" Her heart seemed to skip a beat. "What is it?"

Instead of answering, he immediately turned his back to her and the rest of the group. Now lost in his own world, he walked away from them, towards one of the large windows in the room. The letter was now crumpled in his hand.

"Zuko?" When Katara caught up to him, she noticed that both of his hands were clenched into fists, and his eyes were squeezed tightly shut. He didn't open them when she reached out to touch his arm. "Zuko—" It was suddenly hard to get the words out. "What did the letter say? Please…you have to tell us."

"Setsuko will return Toph and Masato back to us unharmed," he quietly told her. Katara felt a sliver of hope at his words, but it died the instant Zuko opened his eyes and locked his steely gaze onto hers. "In exchange, he wants me to return to Caldera City and surrender myself to the Sons of Sozin."

"No…" Cold terror gripped her, sending her head spinning. She felt as if her entire body had gone numb. "They can't do that. It must be a mistake—"

"Setsuko made it very clear." Katara didn't understand how Zuko was speaking so calmly. "He has Masato and Toph, and he will keep them as his prisoners until I agree to his deal." He took a shaky breath, and she saw sadness fill his golden gaze. "I can have my friends back, if I give myself up."

"No, you can't!" Katara could feel shreds of panic creeping back into her. "The Sons want you _dead_! If you hand yourself over to them, they'll kill you!"

"I know."

"So then you can't turn yourself in. End of story."

"Katara…"

Katara suddenly realized why Zuko was acting so calm about this. In a flash, Katara felt her fear turn into red, hot anger. She let go of his arm. "You've already made up your mind, haven't you?"

"I don't have a choice, Katara."

"Yes, you do! You can't just surrender and offer yourself up on a silver platter! That's doing exactly what the Sons want!"

"Toph and Masato are only in this mess because of me. If this is what I have to do to save them, then so be it."

"Fine," she snapped back at him. "But I'm still going with you."

"You can't, Katara. I have to go alone."

Zuko reached out to grab her hand, but she stepped back out of his reach. She was still too furious at him. "I'm not letting you back out on our deal already. We said we would do this _together_ , and we will. The Sons wanted both of us, so if you're going to turn yourself in, I'm going too."

He shook his head. "Setsuko specifically said that I had to come alone. If anyone else is there with me, they'll consider the deal null and void and they'll…" Zuko seemed to suddenly lose his voice, and he could no longer look her in the eyes. He took a deep breath. "Setsuko said if I don't do exactly as he says, he'll kill them both. I have to go there, alone."

A heavy silence fell between them. Not knowing what to do, she turned away from Zuko and looked out the window. Despair began to gnaw at the edges of all Katara's thoughts. _I told myself that I wasn't going to let this happen again…that I would stick by Zuko's side no matter what. But what happens now that Toph and Masato's lives hang in the balance?_

She heard more footsteps come up behind her, though she didn't turn around. It was her brother that spoke.

"So this Setsuko-did he say where you needed to meet him?"

"At a pier on the eastern shore of Caldera Lake," Zuko softly answered him. "It's probably close to a tunnel entrance of their headquarters."

"Wait a minute...so you mean their main hideout is under a lake? Kinda like Ozai's hideout was under the palace?"

"Yes, they are part of the same underground tunnel system. There are miles and miles of catacombs that extend under the city itself, from the palace and all the way under the lake. The Sons used to have more hideouts all over the capital, but we've shut down all but the large complex under the lake. All of them, including Setsuko, will be there. That's where I know they're holding Toph and Masato."

"So that's where the rest of us need to focus," Sokka told Zuko, "while you are at the pier surrendering to the Sons."

Katara spun around to face her brother. "Sokka, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Zuko is right," he insisted. "If he doesn't do what Setsuko wants, then all our chances of saving Toph and Masato are gone. It won't work any other way."

"If you think I'm going to just stand aside and do _nothing_ while they come for Zuko, you are seriously-"

"-I'm not saying that, Katara..." her brother interrupted her as he came and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "I agree with you completely... _and_ I might just have an idea on how to go about accomplishing that-you'll just have to trust me."

Katara was about to protest, but something in her brother's expression stopped her. She had seen that look before…both times right before they had set out to attack Ozai. Though she did have faith in her brother, it did nothing to ease the feeling in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

This time she was standing on the airship next to Sokka and Suki, witnessing the tremendous battle between Aang and Ozai. Even though Toph couldn't 'see' it in the traditional sense, the vibrations and movements through her connection to the earth painted a pretty good picture, and it was amazing. Both Ozai's and Aang's bending moves were sending shockwaves through the ground like earthquakes, one after another after another. Finally, Aang had Ozai bound down by several slabs of earth, and with one last burst of energy, Aang took away the Phoenix Kings' firebending.

Toph was so happy for her friend, and so proud of him. All she wanted now was to go down and hug him. She felt the airship starting to drop, but something didn't feel right. It was dropping way too fast… "Sokka? Suki?" she called out, but nobody answered, and she realized she couldn't feel anyone next to her. _Where did Sokka and Suki go? They were here just a moment ago!_ It seemed very hard to concentrate for some reason. She knew that something was off...that this wasn't how it was supposed to go. But she could feel herself dropping, and her fear of the situation she was in was very real.

The airship was plummeting so fast now, she knew that if it didn't stop she wouldn't survive the crash. She tried to scramble to the edge but it was so hard to move...it felt like she couldn't move at all. _What's going on? I have to get off of this airship. I have to get out of here!_ She closed her eyes, willing with all her heart that she was somewhere else. At some point, she realized that she didn't feel like she was falling anymore. She opened her eyes and tried to get a bearing on her surroundings.

A completely new scene greeted her. Instead of an airship, she realized when she did a quick scan that she was standing on a beach. It was the beach on Ember Island. Just as she was getting her bearings, Sokka, Suki, and Aang ran right past her. "Come on, Toph!" she heard Aang tell her, "come build sand castles with us!". The whole place felt strange yet very familiar, but she couldn't quite place it yet. Her friends were racing to build their sandcastles, and she couldn't help but get caught up in their excitement. She went over to Aang, to see what he was building in the sand. Through her bending, she could tell there were several different animals grouped in different areas, and even a little representation of Aang himself. When she realized it was the Ba Sing Se zoo that Aang had made, a new thought suddenly struck her. She had been in this moment before-it was the night that the whole gang went to the beach after they had just gotten back together with Zuko and Katara.

"Why aren't you building something, Toph?" she heard Aang ask her. Part of her wanted to tell him how much she like his creation, but just the thought of showing some of her feelings to her crush embarrassed her. Instead, she turned and headed to a spot right next to Aang and began her own creation. Just like that night, she used her earthbending to manipulate the sand and began forming all the buildings and pathways that made up the Western Air Temple.

She had just finished putting the final touches on the air bison obstacle course when she realized something was wrong. Some of her buildings were starting to crumble. It was small at first, but more and more started to disintegrate and crumble. Confusion flooded her as she helplessly felt her creation unravel. First the main temple and then the entire area began to sink. Suddenly, the sand underneath her began to give as well. She frantically formed some bending moves to get the sand back under control, but to her horror, the sand didn't respond at all. She continued to sink quickly, but no matter what she tried to do with her bending, she couldn't stop it. Soon she had sunk down to her chest, and panic started to take hold of her. _What's going on? Why isn't my bending working?!_ In desperation, she tried to use her hands to pull or dig herself out, but she kept sinking… _I have to get out of here! I have to find a way out!_ Her arms and legs were so heavy she could barely move them. Soon the sand was all the way up to her neck. Just as both the sand and her fear threatened to swallow her whole, Aang's voice called out to her. "Strength is something you can find within yourself. You just have to believe it's there."

 _You're right, Aang. I am strong._ She knew now that this was just a dream, and if that was true, then she could control it. _I can beat this. This is just a dream. I just have to get out of it._ She closed her eyes again, and concentrated as hard as she could. Every part of her felt so sluggish. Part of her wanted to give up, and let this unseen weight take her under again, but she fought it. _I need to get out. I have to wake up!_ It was if she was struggling against something, something she couldn't understand. But she fought it-again and again and again. _I will wake up...I will wake up...I WILL WAKE UP!_

With a start, Toph opened her eyes. At first, she felt nothing. There was just stillness, and the familiar darkness. She was aware of her breathing, and it was calming, in a way. Her next realization was that she was lying down on her side, with both hands tied behind her back. She could feel the bite of the rope as it dug slightly into her wrists, and could feel the uneven, cold earth along her whole side. The sensations were so sharp and strong that she realized that she was truly awake now. She was relieved at the thought, but she was still very confused. It also didn't help that her head was pounding, and she felt slightly nauseous. _What's going on? Where am I?_

Out of habit, she inwardly reached to her earthbending to try to feel out what was around here. She was very surprised then when her earthbending didn't come to her right away. It seemed to slip out of her grasp, as if she had tried to do a complicated puzzle when she was too tired to concentrate. She was determined, however, to touch her element, so she focused harder and tried it again. After several more attempts, she was finally able to get a small hold on her earthbending. For some reason, it kept trying to slip out of her grasp, like trying to hold onto something covered in wet mud. It made no sense to Toph whatsoever, but she still wasn't going to give up. Concentrating as hard as she could, she slowly expanded her senses into the ground around her, so she could get a feel for her surroundings.

She realized that it wasn't just the floor that was solid earth-all the walls and ceilings were solid earth as well. The entire room itself wasn't very big, so it didn't take long to explore the rest of it. There was some metal in here too, shaped into bars that ran from floor to ceiling in long rows. It took her foggy mind a moment to realize that their purpose was to form prison cells. _I'm in a prison cell? I guess that would explain why my arms are tied up._

As she continued to survey her surroundings, she realized she could hear someone whispering something close to her. When she focused on the words, she began to make them out. "three hundred...three hundred and one...three hundred and two…" The voice kept counting, and after a few more moments, she realized who the voice belonged to. "Masato...is that you?"

The counting abruptly stopped. "Yeah, it's me…" his words sounded surprised, "I didn't expect you to be so fully awake."

"What do you mean?" she asked, still groggy. It took her a few moments to get enough energy and coordination to sit up. "And where are we?"

"My guess is that we're being held somewhere in the Sons of Sozin's main hideout," he whispered to her. "They brought us here right after they attacked us in the Prison Tower. We've been here for about a week now, I think."

"A week?" She was having a hard time remembering anything right now, but that was still hard for her to believe. "That's impossible...I can't have been out for that long."

"Well, you wouldn't remember anything because you've been sleeping most of it. The Sons have done that on purpose. They keep a very meticulous schedule. And, unless my count has gotten off, they're going to be here in a few minutes."

"Wait, how do you know that?"

"I've been keeping track of their movements. They have two guards posted right outside our room, but then they have another two that make some rounds. They always walk by our room at every six hundred seconds-or every ten minutes. They switch out guards every four hours, and at end of every third shift change-or every twelve hours-they actually pay us a visit."

"You've been able to keep track of that?" Even in her state, Toph couldn't help but be a little impressed.

"Well, it's not like I've had much else to do." His tone was full of frustration and helplessness. "I don't know if it will end up being of any use, but I've had to do something. If nothing else, it has taught me how methodical the Sons of Sozin are. They aren't taking any chances with your bending either. That's one of the reasons they visit us twice a day. They bring us some food then, but they also give you another dose of some kind of potion. I heard one of them say it has some kind of herb in it that prevents a person from using their bending."

Suddenly, her dreams and the way she had been feeling made sense. "Well, that explains why I'm having a really hard time with my earthbending. Though, it's slowly starting to come back now."

"Yeah, I think after a certain period of time it wears off, and that's why they have to keep giving you regular doses of it. It's about that time for them to come in with some more of that potion to make you drink it."

The knowledge that this was being done to her on purpose made her seriously angry. "Well, then I better get to work right away then."

"You better be quick," he cautioned her. "I think we only have a couple minutes before they show up again."

Toph focused her attention on her cell, and used her earthbending to identify where the gate was and, more specifically, the latch on it. She concentrated on the latch, trying to use her metal bending to move it to open the gate. After a few moments, it still hadn't moved. _Come on Toph,_ she reprimanded herself, _you can do this...this should be a piece of cake. I will get out here!_ She stubbornly tried again...and almost yelled in victory when it finally moved. She gathered her legs under her and started to stand up, but, much to her surprise, she had neither the strength or the coordination to complete the move. It took a few seconds for her head to stop spinning as she rested in her sitting position, with her arms still tied awkwardly behind her back. _Whatever they're giving me, it does more than just affect my bending. There's no way I'd feel this tired and groggy otherwise. It's like their huge boulders tied to both my arms and legs. But I have to keep trying…_

Once the pounding in her head had subsided some, she braced herself and tried again. This time, thankfully, her body cooperated a little more and she managed to stand up, though she was a lot more wobbly than she would like. As she slowly made her way to the newly unlocked gate of her prison cell, she heard Masato call out to her in a soft but insistent voice.

"I think I hear some extra footsteps coming. You've got to get out here quick, Toph."

It was irritating that she hadn't even noticed that, but right now she was having to focus all of earthbending skills in her immediate area so she could move around. "I'm not leaving here without you," she whispered furiously. She finally got to the gate of his cell and once again called on her meager bending to work on unlocking his next. "You get these ropes off of me, and then we'll both head out. Deal?"

It wasn't Masato's voice that answered her, however. "No deal, I'm afraid." Toph turned to the sound of the new voice, belatedly realizing that two new people had just entered the room. It must be the new Sons members that Masato had warned her that would come. The newcomer addressed her again, his words both cold and cruel. "You, young lady, shouldn't even be out of your cell. I see the potion's effectiveness has worn out sooner than it should-we'll have to correct that."

Toph's fists clenched in anger. "I'm not taking any more of your 'potion', and I'm damn sure not going back into that cell again." Now that she was focusing on the two newcomers, she could feel that they were slowly walking towards her.

"Well you see, you don't actually have a choice in the matter." He seemed very sure of himself. "If you cooperate, however, you will make it easier on yourself."

Toph knew if she was going to do something, she had to do it now. As limited as her earthbending was and with her arms still tied behind her back, it would have to be something very simple. "Yeah...not going to happen." Putting all of her energy into this one move, she focused her earthbending into the ground right underneath the two men. She pulled the earth up around their feet and up their legs, then pulled them both to the ground. It had been a costly move, though. She immediately felt very drained, and so tired that she could hardly put one foot in front of the other. It took a tremendous amount of effort just to use her bending to sweep the area once again. Immediately, she felt vibrations where the two men laid on the ground. When she felt the earth crumble away from where it had held the two men to the ground, she realized that they had used their firebending to break her hold on them. _Oh no, this isn't good._ She braced herself for their next attack. She was very surprised then, when instead of coming towards her, they went right up to Masato's cell. _What are they doing?_ She didn't have to wait long to find out. One of the men addressed her again.

"Stop, if you want your friend to live!"

Toph froze. She couldn't sense what they were up to. "What are you doing?..."

"Let me explain then." The threat in the man's voice was clear. "Either you come quietly back into your cell without any further trouble, or me and my associate will use our firebending to turn your large friend in a pile of ashes. We brought both of you here, but we really only need one of you as a hostage. Your actions right here and now are going to decide if one or both of you will get to live to see another day."

Toph's blood ran cold at the man's words. _We're being held as hostages? But why…_ It didn't take long to guess though. _The Sons released all their members that were being held at the Prison Tower. That means they must after Zuko still...and they're using us as bait to force him to come to them._ The thought nearly made her sick to her stomach. Anger surged in her, and she wanted nothing more to strike out at them anyway she could, but their threat kept her paralyzed. _I can't let anything happen to Masato. He's my friend...and I would never let someone else be harmed because of my actions._ Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Please, don't hurt him. I...I'll come back to my cell."

"Good girl," the man almost purred with satisfaction. "Now, I want you come back and sit in your cell-but take it nice and slow. Understood?"

"Fine," she hissed through gritted teeth. She was so exhausted that she probably couldn't have moved fast if she wanted to anyways, but regardless she did as she was asked and slowly made her way back into her cell. Once she sat on the floor, she heard one of the men fumble for something in his clothes. When she heard the sound of a cork coming out of bottle, she guessed at what it was and instinctively scooted away. The man closest to her quickly came over to her, bent down, and grabbed her. She started to struggle, but he tightened his grip on her.

"Now, now…" the other man walked towards her and squatted down in front of her. Toph instantly smelled a strange herbal aroma in front of her nose, which was most likely the potion. "It's time to take your 'medicine'."

"No!" she yelled at him. She only had just gotten her earthbending back, and hated the thought of losing it. She also hated feeling so drugged, and the nightmares it produced.

The man ignored her and roughly grabbed her entire jaw. She began to struggle even more furiously, but with as tired as she was and both of them holding her, it was a losing battle. But there was still a part of her that fought it. She shut her mouth tightly and shook her head.

The man holding the potion sounded furious. "You will take this potion, one way or another." He then released his hold on her jaw and grabbed her nose, covering both her nostrils, forcing Toph to open her mouth to gasp for breath. Suddenly, something was being poured down her throat. Hands forced her mouth open until all of it had been poured, then clamped down on her jaw to keep it shut. She refused to swallow, but with their hands over her nose and mouth, she also no longer had a way to breath. "It's very simple," the voice cooed to her in a sinister tone, "either you swallow it down, or you run out of air. Either way, you're no longer a problem to us. It's your choice."

Panic was taking hold of her as every second ticked by. Part of her wanted to continue to fight it, but the larger part of her knew if was no use. Her earthbending now seemed impossibly out of reach, but even if she could use it, she couldn't guarantee that she could incapacitate both men before they could harm Masato. Just as she was about out of breath, she swallowed. After a few gulps, the hands on her nose and mouth were gone, and sweet air flowed back into her lungs. The arms around her let go, and she heard both men take a few steps back from her.

"Good girl," one of the men taunted her, "see, that wasn't so bad, right?"

Tears formed in her eyes as helplessness threatened to swallow her. She could already feel the vile concoction kicking in, making her feel drowsy. The last shreds of her anger flared. "You're going to regret taking us as hostages. Zuko and my friends will come to rescue us, and when they get here, they're going to kick all your asses."

Both men actually had the gall to chuckle at her. "Yes," one of them answered her, "we know that the Fire Lord and his companions will be coming...in fact, you can say we're counting on it. We have a little 'surprise' waiting just for them." Before she could think of anything to reply, they turned and walked back out of the room.

"Toph?" she heard Masato call out to her, "are you okay?"

Her eyelids were already starting to feel heavy. She tried to fight it, but she knew it was a losing battle. "Yeah," she answered slowly, "I'm okay...just tired…"

"Just hang in there, Toph. It'll be okay. We'll find a way to get out of here."

Instead of answering him, however, Toph felt herself slump to the floor. A fog was setting over her mind, making it hard to even think. It felt good to close her eyes. A small part of her realized what happening and frantically struggled against it. _No! I can't go back to sleep! I have to stay awake and find a way to get out!_ Her arms and legs felt so heavy again. She tried to use her earthbending, but it slipped out of her grasp. _I have to fight it...I have to stay awake…_ But it was like a large wave that began to pull her under, until even her voice was silenced. The unseen weight that had smothered her earlier was back again, and it swallowed her, bringing silence and darkness once again.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I am so excited posting this chapter because it's a big milestone for me. It's hard to believe, but I started this story back in 2011, wrote on it for about 2 years and then abandoned it after posting chapter 22. My feedback had dropped off about that time, I was struggling with my motivation to keep writing on it, and other things in my life happened, so I tried to forget this story. I even went so far to delete it off of and tried to convince myself the only stories worth writing were original stories-because fanfiction wasn't "legit" (I now think this notion is silly, yet there is still some of this stigma attached to fanfiction). I've since come to realize that it doesn't matter if what I write is original stories or fanfiction, the important thing is that I want to write and tell a story. I've had a lot of fun writing on this story again, and this chapter marks my first chapter post with new content since I abandoned it so many years ago-Yay for new progress!

Thank you to everyone who has read and left reviews. I love knowing that there are still people out there who like my story. I will finish this story, not just because I made a promise to myself that I will finally finish what I started, but because I love it so much and I too want to see how it ends. I can't promise quick updates-unfortunately that's just not my style. I tend to write long chapters (as if you didn't know that..ha ha) and I am something of a perfectionist, as I often agonize over every little sentence and have to edit it over and over again until I am completely satisfied. Couple that with my tiny amount of free time that I get to write and you end up with breaks between my updates that are measured in weeks or months instead of days. ~sighs heavily~ So I apologize in advance that updates won't come quickly anymore, but have faith that I WILL NOT abandon my story...come hell or high water it will get done...eventually.

Until next time! :D


	24. Tremors

Liem eyed the pier warily. There were several small boats tied to it, with people scurrying back and forth across the wooden planks. Caldera Lake was so large that many merchants chose to ferry their items across its surface rather than taking the long way around to the other parts of the city. Even now, he could see people unloading bolts of cloth from boats and stacking large sacks of food into others, along with a half dozen of other items. The lake's eastern pier was usually busy throughout most of the day, though it still paled in comparison to the hustle and bustle of Harbor City. That was one of the reasons why it wasn't hard for Liem to spot the person he was looking for—or _persons_ -now that he looked closer.

Most people wouldn't think there was anything special about the two men that Liem was eyeing. They were wearing nondescript clothing that looked worn, and carried no visible weapons. They were average height and build, and they didn't walk around like they owned the place—as most firebenders were apt to do. In fact, they were so _un_ ordinary that most people wouldn't give them a second glance…which was exactly the point. It was the _way_ they moved, though, that gave them away to Liem. They tried hard to blend in, but he watched the way they walked-the way they navigated through the groups of people and crates. Their movements were too fluid for your average merchant or dock worker. To Liem, they seemed to glide around the various people and obstacles in their way, avoiding yelling merchants and spilled carts with a graceful ease that came from years of being on the streets. There was no doubt in Liem's mind. The two men were members of the Sons of Sozin.

Liem watched as the two men climbed into a small boat, and then lifted something out of it. Whatever it was, it looked relatively small—probably no bigger than a young koala sheep—but the two men took a great amount of care when moving it and setting it on the dock. This definitely piqued Liem's curiosity. One of the men walked just a short ways away and soon came back with a empty hand cart. They carefully lifted their burden into the cart, and it was then that Liem finally got a glimpse of what they were carrying. He was a little disappointed however, to see it was just a small, wooden barrel. Nevertheless, he stayed and watched as the two men slowly unloaded several of the same little barrels and carefully stacked them into the cart. Eventually, they must have gotten them all, because the two men started away from the boat and made their way down the pier. Something about this whole ordeal still bothered Liem, though he couldn't put his finger on it. Deciding to follow his hunch, he finally got up from his perch on a nearby rooftop and went to follow the pair.

He quickly dodged and weaved amongst the slow steam of people heading to and from the pier, until he got closer to where he last saw the two men. Not liking his view—or lack of it, due to his short stature—he found a sturdy-looking food cart nearby and hopped up on its side. He quickly scanned the crowd, hoping to find his two men again before the owner realized what he was doing. He hadn't seen them yet, though. _Seven hells! Why couldn't they have worn something just a_ little _more obvious? I'll never be able to look Zuko straight in the face again if I can't even tail these two lunatics._ He was about to utter another curse, but then a larger cart moved out of the way, revealing the two Sons a little further down the street. And not a moment too soon, because then he heard a deep voice yell right beside him.

"Hey! What the—?"

 _Time to go_. Liem jumped off the cart as a large man turned to scowl at him and uttered a curse. He didn't give the other man a chance to do anything else. With a quick smile and a wave, which seemed to startle the robust man, he turned and promptly fled the scene. Liem knew where he was going this time, however. It didn't take long at all to catch up to his two targets, and there were enough people walking along the road to easily blend in. He kept a careful eye on them as they made their way down the path, pushing their cart of mysterious cargo. Liem wondered what could possibly be in the small barrels. It could be something as innocent as a high valued wine or spices, but somehow he doubted it. Knowing the Sons of Sozin, he had his money on something much more insidious.

The road they walked on winded on, skirting the buildings of the city on their right and the lake on their left. Soon the pier gave way to the bank of the lake itself, covered with trees and lush grass. They hadn't gone too much further down when the two men suddenly veered their cart off to the left. There was nothing to denote there was anything around but sparsely populated trees, but the move didn't surprise Liem. He had taken this path before, and it was only thanks to Toph that he knew of it. Thinking about his friend brought a fresh wave of anger mixed with worry to the fore, but he shoved the thoughts out of his mind again. He had to focus.

Liem made sure to hang back behind a little further, since now it was just him following his targets. He didn't make a sound as he followed the men further into the trees, going closer to the lake's edge. It wasn't hard to follow them either. Their cart would often bang and clack against trees roots and rocks, making a steady drum beat of sorts to Liem's ears. The men had to go slow, due to their mysterious yet precious cargo. The distance, however, was short and soon they stopped when they came up on a very small building, tucked up against some trees right along the lake's shore. Liem stayed further back amongst the trees while he continued to watch the two Sons members. The building they were milling around could hardly be called a house. It was more like a large shed that had been slowly falling apart for so long it was only held up by rope and spit. It was a wonder it was still upright at all. No doubt that was exactly the image the Sons wanted any to think of it that happened to wander across it. The sight of it would deter most people from even thinking of going into it, and for the few that would dare, the large lock across the door took care of that. Unless you had someone in your group that was a metal-bender, of course. The building itself wasn't important, but rather, what was hidden underneath it was—the entrance to the Son's lair.

One of the Sons members took something out of his pocket, mostl likely a key, and went up to the door. After a few moments, the man had the door open and the two of them began to slowly take their time transporting their cargo into the building. From past experience, Liem knew that it was just a few steps inside before one came up to the large trapdoor that led down into the tunnels under Lake Caldera. Whatever the men were carrying into the building would eventually lead down to the Sons's main hideout.

Liem itched to know what they were carrying. A part of him was tempted to try to sneak up on the men and steal one of the barrels, or try to follow them down into the tunnel, but he reluctantly dismissed the thought. There was no way he was going to be able to steal one of the heavy barrels out from the two assassin's noses, especially in daylight. And he probably wouldn't get very far down in the tunnels. With Toph and her slightly disturbing human heart detection skills, it had been relatively easy to know where the sentries were and to avoid them. The two of them had been able to come and go without detection with relative ease, but now…now it was a completely different story.

He looked on the small building with a mix of anger and longing. A very large part of him wanted to rush into the building and head down into the tunnels where he knew both Masato and Toph were being held. There had even been several times in the past few days where he had come up to one of the hideout entrances, and started a few steps down into the tunnels. But he could only go a few steps before that same, vivid memory would come to him, stopping him dead in his tracks. The images of that day he, Zuko, Masato, and Toph went to raid the Weeping Merchant Inn would flash in front of him. The fear that lingered still from that memory froze his steps. It wasn't even a fear so much for his own life, but that of his friends. It was a fear that was unfamiliar for him, being a loner for most of his life. But he had slowly come to realize just how much he liked Zuko, Katara, Toph, and the rest of their gang, and how he didn't want to lose any of them. His rash actions at the Inn that day had nearly cost his friends their lives, and he swore to himself that he wouldn't let that happen again. And that was why, even though every part of him screamed to rush down into the tunnels and find his two friends, he instead remained in the shadows, silent and observant.

The two Sons of Sozin members were almost done it seemed. They carried one of the barrels up to the door, but suddenly one of the men tripped, causing him to curse and drop the barrel. The man carefully picked up the barrel again headed into the empty building. After another round, the two Sons were done. They went and rolled the cart off to the side of the small building and then vanished inside, once and for all. Liem, however, didn't move right away. He knew the two men would probably wait right at the entrance for a little while, to make sure they weren't followed. So Liem waited patiently, careful not to give away his presence.

When he was satisfied he had waited long enough, he finally ducked out from his cover. Still cautious, he slowly slunk around the edge of the trees until he came to the little stoop at the front. He found the place where they had dropped one of the barrels, and crouched down beside it. He saw that there were dark patches on top of the wooden planks, and he frowned. Somehow the dark substance looked familiar. Liem reached down and grabbed a pinch of the stuff, noting the texture as some of the powdery substance slipped through his fingers. He took a small, cautious sniff, and then nodded to himself. He knew exactly what it was. Gunpowder.

He stayed there a long moment, just looking at the black powder. _What do the Sons of Sozin want gunpowder for…and why so much? Just that cartful is enough to take down a good size building…or a very large, very fortified front door._ A chill suddenly went up its spine, and his shiver had nothing to do with the temperature of the air around him. He may not be clever enough to figure out exactly what the Sons had planned for that gunpowder, but he would bet his weight in gold that it would make for a very nasty situation. It also meant he now had to try to pay a visit to a particular person that he didn't care at all to see—a feeling that was mutual on both sides. Silently cursing to himself about his new destination, he nonetheless carefully slid away from the shack and headed towards the Fire Nation Palace.

It took some time to get around the lake on the busy streets of the capital. The sun was just above the horizon when he finally made it to the rear entrance of the palace. He automatically looked to see who was posted on guard duty, and frowned when he didn't recognize either of the men. Over the last several weeks, he had come and gone from the palace often as he helped Zuko with tracking the Sons. He had made it a point to get to know every guard that was posted at this entrance, even if it was just a face and a name. In return, all of the guards got to know him as well, so they would let him pass in and out, no questions asked, no matter what time of day it was. _Why are there new guards here? Something doesn't feel right._ But it didn't change the fact that he needed to get into the palace.

There were still a steady stream of people and carts going in and out of the palace at this time of day. He quickly slipped into the stream of moving people, and was at the gate in a few moments. When a large, burly guard finished talking to a men with a cart ahead of him, he turned towards Liem. A frown quickly appeared on his face as he took in Liem's presence.

"Kid, what are you doing here by yourself? Where are your parents?"

He smiled at the guard, trying to put the man at ease. "The name's Liem. I always come and go from the palace by myself-I'm kinda a regular here. You seem new, though. Did you just get moved to this post?"

The guard's frown deepened. "It's none of your business who's posted here-"

"Well, _actually_ , it kinda is," Liem interrupted him. "You see, I know all the guards who are here regularly because I know the guy in charge of it all. The name Masato ring a bell?"

"There's no 'Masato' in charge here. I answer to General Ichiro only. So I'll ask you again, what are you doing here?"

 _Well, I guess that explains why I didn't recognize any of the guards. Looks like Ichiro decided to replace all the usuals with his own people._ _I don't like this one bit._ It was hard for Liem to keep his smile in place. "I _know_ that Zuko left Masato and Ichiro in charge, and with Masato...gone-" Liem swallowed hard "-that means Ichiro is in charge right now. I have some really important information for Zuko, but since he's not here I need to tell Ichiro. I have to see him right away."

"First off, that's _General_ Ichiro to you, peasant," the man told him with a sneer. "But if you think I'm stupid enough to believe that you personally know the Fire Lord, you have another thing coming. Now, turn around and leave before you really start to annoy me."

 _That does it._ Liem's smile faded. "As a matter of fact, not only do I know Fire Lord Zuko, I happen to work for him. And when he finds out that he didn't get some very valuable information because a _stupid_ , overbearing oaf of a guard didn't let me speak to him, you're going to be more than annoyed—you're going to be sitting in a prison for a very, very long time."

The other man instantly turned red with anger. "General Ichiro gave specific instructions that he was not to be disturbed, and I sure as hell wouldn't be wasting his valuable time letting a lying street orphan like you talk to him. Either you turn around _right now_ , or I will take great pleasure in _escorting_ you out myself."

Liem seriously thought about testing the man's abilities, but he didn't get too far into that line of thought before some commotion behind him drew his attention. A mixture of men yelling and some animals' squawkings erupted, quickly overtaking all other noise in the area. Liem turned to see several ostrich horses a few feet behind them' rearing up, their wings flapping frantically at something that had spooked them. He heard some guards nearby start yelling at the men and then head towards the commotion.

Liem quickly glanced at the burly guard in front of him, and when he realized that his attention was elsewhere, he acted. He quickly ducked down and dodged away from the guard, behind some observers next to him. The guard didn't notice his disappearance until several moments later. By then, Liem had already disappeared amongst the moving mass of people going through the gate. When he was confident he was far enough away, he relaxed his pace. He replayed his exchange with the guard as he slowly followed a group of palace maids in front of him. _So Ichiro left specific instructions not to be disturbed, huh? He's not even trying to look for Masato, and he made sure to replace the guards that were loyal to Zuko and Masato with his own people by the looks of it. He's up to something, and I don't like the smell of it._

"-Hey, you!"

Startled out of his own thoughts, Liem looked around to see who was shouting. A second later, a large hand roughly grabbed him by his shoulder from behind. He was spun around, and came face to face with the man that was shouting. It was a guard—not the same one that had been harassing him—but a guard nonetheless. Liem's stomach dropped. _This is not good._

"Is there a problem?" Liem asked, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt. "I was just on my way to the palace…"

The man didn't let go of him. "Yeah, I saw you go through the gate, because part of my job is watching people come and go here. The funny thing is, I don't think you were cleared to go through, otherwise, why would my guard start yelling at you and trying to follow you through?"

"Ah, that…well, you see….I had to get back to the palace really quick because-because-"

"-Because I told him if he didn't come back by sunset, there would be hell to pay," a woman's voice suddenly answered right beside them. Surprised, both Liem and the guard turned to look at the source of the interruption. The woman—who Liem definitely had never seen before—was slender and average height, with dark, auburn hair that was cut short. Her clothes were worn and nondescript, just like any of the travelers or workers that inhabited the city. But it was her eyes that really stood out to Liem. There was an intelligence and a determination in their brilliant, liquid gold depths that Liem instantly recognized. It reminded him, in a way, of Zuko.

"You know this boy?" the guard asked the woman as he released his iron grip on him.

"Unfortunately," she answered him, "it's my sister's kid. He was underfoot too much, so I put him to work in the kitchens with me." She then looked at Liem. "Nori ran out of some more ingredients and now he needs the both of us to head to the market." She inclined her head back to the gate. "Come on, 'Lee'."

Liem started to protest, "But I-"

"-No 'but's," she interrupted him. Her tone left no room for argument. "Let's go." She gently grabbed Liem's arm and turned towards the gate.

"Hold on a moment!" The guard aimed a suspicious stare at the woman. "What's your name? I don't remember seeing you here before either."

"The name's Kayo, and you wouldn't have seen me much because I practically live in that Agni-forsaken kitchen. Nori is a hard man to please." Her eyes narrowed with displeasure at the guard. "Now, if you don't mind, we have to go—unless you would like to go down to the kitchens with me and explain to Nori that _you're_ the reason why we're going to be delayed."

The man huffed. "Go on, then. Just make sure you keep _this one_ "—he pointed to Liem—"close by."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Liem swallowed a choice retort as the woman grabbed his hand and yanked him towards the gate. They both stayed silent as they gladly left the guard behind them. One of the guards at the gate glanced at them as they passed through, but as they were headed out into the city, they weren't bothered this time.

Liem had a bunch of questions for the woman walking beside him, but he knew better to make a scene right outside the palace gates, so he waited. He let her guide them down the main alley, putting some more distance between them and the palace. After some time, he decided that it had been far enough.

He snatched his hand out her grip. "Well Kayo—or whatever your name really is—I'd say it's been fun, but then I'd be a liar. So let's just agree never to meet again and go our separate ways, okay?" Without waiting for a reply, he turned and started walking back to the palace again. Much to his annoyance, he realized that she had started to follow him.

"You aren't honestly going to try to get the palace again, are you?" she asked him.

"What's it to you if I am?"

"Well, I don't really care one way or another what you do. I just figured you would prefer _not_ to be sleeping in a prison cell tonight."

"Thanks so much for your concern," he replied sarcastically, "but I can take care of myself."

"Oh really? Just like you were 'taking care' of the situation with that guard, huh?"

Liem gritted his teeth. "I would have figured something out."

"Uh-huh," she answered, clearly not believing him. "Well, I guess we'll both find out if you're right about that in just a few moments. Maybe the second time around _is_ the charm."

"I never said I was going to talk to the guards."

"Oh, so you're going to try to smuggle yourself in really quick?" She didn't seem surprised at his answer. If anything, it seemed as if she expected it. "Well, maybe you'll get that to work, but it won't help you once you're inside the palace grounds. They have extra guards all around the kitchen and garden entrances to the palace. So, unless you've suddenly discovered a way to become invisible in broad daylight, I highly doubt you'll get to Ichiro in one piece."

That stopped Liem in his tracks. He spun around to face her. "Wait…so you overheard my conversation with the guard and followed me through the gate?" He didn't like the fact that she had taken an sudden, intense interest in him. That kind of activity usually didn't end well. As a precaution, he slowly slipped his hand behind his back to where a small dagger was hidden on his belt as he waited for her to answer.

"Well, it wasn't hard to overhear since the two of you were practically yelling at each other." She seemed to sense that her observation had put him on edge, and tried a more soothing tone. "I'm not trying to pull one over on you or try to target you in any way. I'm just interested in some information that you might have. I would like for the two of us to talk, if that's okay—you can pick the place."

Liem was still suspicious, but the fact that she was willing to go with him to a place of his choosing did make him feel better. "You just want information, huh?"

"That's right, and something tells me you can help me. I just hope my hunch is right."

She said that last little bit with a small smile as she looked at him hopefully. His time in the streets had taught him not to trust anyone, and his experience said she was luring him into a trap. There was something about her eyes, though, that told him he could trust her. When she looked at him, it was if she was hoping he would make the right choice, and help a friend in need. It was the same look he had gotten from Zuko from time to time. _Agni, I've been spending too much time around His Highness. I'm getting soft._

"Fine," he told her, "I know a place nearby where we can talk."

Her smile lit up her entire face. "Excellent! Show the way."

Liem turned away from the palace and headed back down the main street. Kayo followed him closely as he wove between people in the crowded streets. Soon he turned north, and led them down a maze of alleyways until they came to their destination. It was a building that looked like any other around it, with the exception of a large sign hanging right by its front door. The sign had a large mug on it, with the words "The Fire Lily Tavern" scrawled at the top.

He opened the heavy door, and was immediately greeted with whole range of sounds, from bits of loud conversations, to high-pitched squeals and deep-bellied laughter. The latter sounded familiar, so he headed in that direction. His path took him through the packed tables of customers to the back of the room where the bar was. There were several men and women sitting around the bar, but it was the man behind it that had Liem's attention.

Liem put on his best smile as he regrettably had to tiptoe for him to keep his head above the bar. "Soji! How's the business?"

Soji frowned as he looked for the source of the voice. The bartender was a very large and tall man, so when he looked down and finally saw that it was Liem, he barked a laugh. "Ha! So Short Stuff, are you back for more punishment?"

"Nah, not this time. I'll just have a pint of your regular stuff for me and my friend."

Kayo suddenly appeared next to Liem. "Actually, that will be a pint for _me_ , and a watermelon juice for my _little friend_ here."

"Oh, come on!" Liem protested. "You're not seriously going all authoritative-type on me all of a sudden, are you?" But there was a very stern look on her face, and he wisely realized that he probably wasn't going to win that battle. "Oh, for the love of Agni...juice it is then."

Seemingly satisfied, Kayo didn't say much else until they had their drinks and found a table in the corner for just the two of them to sit at. There were people all around them, but the noise in the place was at such a high volume that you would have to yell in order for the people sitting next to you to hear you.

" _Nice place_ ," his companion commented sarcastically as she surveyed the room.

"Yeah, well, it may not look like much," Liem told her, "but we won't have to worry about being hassled in here. Plus, we can talk in peace."

"Fair enough then." She took a small sip of the pale lager. It appeared to be an innocent move, but Liem also noticed that she did a quick survey of the room again as she did so. "Now that we look like a somewhat normal looking pair of citizens hanging out, I suppose we can talk now."

"First, I have a question for you, _Kayo—_ or should I call you something else?"

She was careful to keep her expression neutral. "No…Kayo will work."

"Okay then." He saw her again nonchalantly check her surroundings, as if it was a habit. He recognized the behavior, because he himself did it all the time. "I'm guessing you haven't been in town for very long. So why are you here?"

"I'm trying to find some family of mine," she answered carefully. "And yes, I did just arrive, so I need to catch up with what's going on here in the city."

"Uh-huh. And who are you passing this information to? It must be someone on one of the other islands or the Earth Kingdom, because I've never seen you around here before."

She actually looked a little surprised. "I'm not trying to pass any information along to anyone. Are you saying I'm a spy?"

He let out a short, humorless laugh. "It takes one to know one, lady. I've been watching you and I see how you look around, always looking for potential threats and a way out. You were pretty good at coming up with a quick and convincing story for that guard too. I would bet a stack of gold as tall as I am that you work for an eyes-and-ears network...I just don't know which one." He knew he was right too, because she didn't say anything right away. She just looked at him with those appraising eyes of hers.

Finally, she shook her head slightly. "Well, I have to admit, I am impressed. I didn't think I could be made so quickly—especially by a kid." She smiled. "I guess I did pick the right person to talk to."

She picked up her pale drink again, but this time she actually took a decent drink. When she set down her mug, she was all business. "You're right, I do belong to an eyes-and-ears network. However, I'm not here because of that. I'm here for my own personal reasons. Before I tell you anymore about myself though, I have to know. I heard you say earlier that you work for Prince—excuse me—Fire Lord Zuko. Is that true?"

Liem nodded. "Sure is. I've been working with Zuko for a couple of months now. It started back before he was Fire Lord, when Azula had been running things for a little while. Azula was making a real mess of things around here, but thankfully he and Katara put an end to that. About that time they needed some help finding someone, so that's where I came in. Then I just kinda stuck around. Zuko has a bad habit of getting himself into a komodo-rhino-sized heap of trouble, so he needs all the help he can get."

Her expression became a little more hopeful. "It sounds like you're a good friend of his."

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, it definitely didn't start out that way—it was more like a comfy business arrangement." _But it's been a long time since that was the case. I've been so used to being on my own, but it's not like that anymore._ Liem couldn't help but smile a little at the thought. "But now….yeah, I guess you could say we're friends."

Kayo leaned forward. "Then you can tell me a little more on what's going on. And where is Zuko?"

"Hold on a second. It's your turn. You need to tell me more about yourself before we continue this."

She hesitated, but then gave a tiny nod. "Fair enough. I work for the eyes-and-eyes network for the Earth Kingdom Resistance. For the last several years, I've traveled all across the Earth Kingdom, gathering information on the Fire Nation's movements and passing it along through our underground network. You'll understand though, why I can't give out a lot of details on it."

"Yeah I get that. But what I don't get is what you're doing back here. You said it wasn't business. Your gold eyes tell me you used to be from here, but you must not have anything tying you down here otherwise you wouldn't have up and vanished for so long. So what's bringing you back?"

She broke eye contact with him, and instead looked down at the mug in front of her as she contemplated her answer for a moment. "You're right that I used to be from here, but you're wrong on your other count. I had a whole life here—more than you will ever know—and having to leave it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life." When she looked back up at him, he saw both anguish and determination in her golden eyes. "But that's in the past, and the important thing is that I'm here now. Before I can start putting my life back together, I have to get a feel for the situation here in the capital. I only just arrived her last night, and my quick sweeps on the outside of the palace haven't given me much to go on."

Liem frowned. "But why are you so interested in the palace, and in Zuko? Are you in trouble or something?"

She let out a short, bitter laugh. "Yes, trouble could be one word for it. Let's just say that several years ago, I committed a very serious crime and was told to never come back to the capital again. That's why I've been in the Earth Kingdom ever since. However, I just recently found out that Ozai is no longer the Fire Lord, and that his son Zuko has replaced him." Kayo paused for a long moment, seemingly lost in thought. When she finally continued, her voice was strained. "Ozai was the one who had me banished, but since he is gone, I'm hoping that my crime may be absolved. It will depend on Fire Lord Zuko…" She took a deep breath, and finished in a whisper, "I am just hoping he is very different from his father."

Liem could tell there was a lot more to her story, but he had never been one to want to pry into other people's business. "Well, I can help you out with that last part at least. I never met Fire Lord Ozai before, or his daughter Azula, but I've seen enough crap happen here in the city by their orders to know that neither of them gave a damn about their own citizens." He didn't try to hide the disdain in his voice. "As if the war and the resource shortages weren't enough, they began throwing anyone who dared to challenge or even complain about their rule into prison. Towards the end, it didn't even matter if you said anything against them—if you were at the wrong place at the wrong time in the streets, the guards would just round up the whole group and lock them up. But Zuko...he changed all that. Even before he was officially made the Fire Lord, he made it a priority to go visit the prison warden and get things straightened out. It almost went a little south, but he convinced Warden Takashi to release all the people who were wrongly imprisoned, and stop the round-ups. He's always wanting to help and protect those around him…" When Liem thought about some of the crazy stuff Zuko had done, he shook his head in dismay, "-sometimes to the point where the guy forgets to take care of himself even. He's definitely nothing like what Ozai or Azula was."

While Liem had talked, Kayo had turned her gaze out to the crowd around them. He could tell she had been paying attention to every word he said however, and her expression had a mixture of relief and something else he couldn't quite place. When she turned back to him though, she made sure her face showed nothing again. "Then it sounds like I will be able to plead my case to the new Fire Lord. Though, it seems he hasn't been around for a little while."

"Yeah, he left to attend that big, fancy peace conference in Ba Sing Se, which is the problem for me. I've been scouting around the city while he's been gone and came across something big...I mean, something really, really big—but he's not here and Ichiro seems to be content to just hole up in the palace and let everything go to hell."

"And you have no idea when the Fire Lord might return?"

"Nope. Ichiro would have maybe known, but not me."

"Well, is there anyone else in the palace that could help you?"

Liem shook his head. "No, Ichiro was my last resort, and now that unfortunately is a dead end." For some reason, something he just told Kayo came back to him again, and then it hit him. "Actually, I think there could be someone who could help me. He's not technically in the palace, but he's the same person that helped Zuko back when he needed it. I think it might be time to see Warden Takashi again." The idea strangely made him feel a little lighter. _I must be going crazy if the idea of seeing a prison warden is making feel all giddy. What in Agni's fiery doom has Zuko done to me!_ "Well, I know where I'm going to head now, but something tells me you're not going to want to walk into the middle of a large, secure prison with me."

That actually made her chuckle. "Yeah, I'm going to have to pass on that one. Until I'm officially pardoned, I'm going to have to keep a very low profile. I think I'll just stay somewhere close to the palace and wait for Fire Lord Zuko to return again."

"Alright, but if you change your mind, just head to the southern prison and tell them you're with me."

She smirked. "That will only work as long as you're not in trouble yourself."

Liem pretended to be hurt. "I'll have you know that I'm very good at keeping out of trouble...most of the time."

"Uh-huh, sure you are." Kayo stood up and gave him one last, serious look. "Thanks again for the information, Liem. Take care of yourself, okay?"

As Liem watched her make her way to the door, he could only hope that he could keep that promise to her. _If Lady Luck is still with me, then Takashi will be the 'forgive and forget' type. If not, I may need just as much saving as Toph and Masato._ Thinking of his friends made him quickly stand up and head out himself. He didn't have any more time to waste.

* * *

"May I join you?"

Zuko opened his eyes, taking in the view of the sun as it was rising over the horizon of the ocean before him. He was standing in a wide open area towards the front of the ship, going through his morning exercises. He straightened up from the posture he was in and turned around to face his uncle.

"Good morning, Uncle, and yes, you can. I was just going to start the Swimming Dragon set."

Iroh smiled. "Excellent! That one was always one of my favorites."

"I know," Zuko replied. "Though when you first taught it to me, I didn't like it all."

"And now?"

"Now I do it every morning. As time goes by, it seems I do more and more things like my uncle."

That made both of them smile. Iroh then came and took his stance next to him, which Zuko quickly copied. He let his uncle start the form, and then Zuko began following his movements. Soon the two of them were gracefully flowing from one form to another side by side.

Even as part of him lost himself in the forms, he couldn't help but remark at how incredible it was to have his uncle right beside him again. It had been nearly two months since he and Iroh had reunited back before the battle of Ba Sing Se, and to say that Zuko had missed him was a massive understatement. The two of them had been spending a lot of time together the last few days on the ship as they headed back to the capital. They mostly talked, since there was a lot that Zuko still had to catch his uncle up on, but they also practiced some firebending together from time to time...and then played Pai Sho, of course. Zuko would still lose way more matches to his uncle than he won, but this fact didn't bother him like it used to. He was less interested in winning now and more interested in just spending time with his uncle. Plus, it kept his mind off of the uncertain future ahead of them.

Zuko and his uncle stepped through the last moves of the form, their arms coming up and around and pushing forward at the same time. In sync, they then straightened up, turned to face each other, and bowed to each other to signal the end of the form.

When Iroh addressed him, there was a hint of admiration in his words. "I can tell you do that one often—your forms were perfect!" A small smile appeared on his lips, "You must have had a good teacher."

Zuko knew his uncle was referring to himself, and he agreed. "I had one of the best. Running through the exercises you taught me each morning is one of things that has kept me going, no matter how hard it got."

Iroh clapped a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I know it has been very rough for you these past several weeks, Zuko, but I want you to know that you will not be alone in this."

Different memories resurfaced at his uncle's words, forcing Zuko to look away. Once again, he could feel some of his unspoken fears creeping back into his thoughts. As much as he tried to dispel them, they kept resurfacing over and over again.

Iroh must have sensed the change in him, because his tone became much more softer and gentler. "You had more nightmares last night?"

Zuko gave a slight nod. The ship that they were on was one of the fastest in the fleet, but because of that it was also one of the smallest. Since they were carrying a lot more passengers on their return trip, he and Iroh had decided to share his quarters since there was plenty of room inside. He usually wouldn't have minded the lack of privacy, but it meant that his uncle heard how little and troubled his sleep was.

"The same one?"

The scene from the assassination attack once again took ahold of him, twisting his stomach into queasy knots and making his knees weak. He shut his eyes against the onslaught of emotions raging through him, but the image remained burned into his mind's eye. He could feel his breath quicken as panic began to race through him. Just before it completely consumed him, he heard his uncle's soft, but firm words.

"Zuko, look at me."

Something in his uncle's voice pulled at him, forcing him to open his eyes and meet his gaze. He stared into eyes filled with both compassion and strength, and for the moment, Zuko felt as if he could breathe again.

"I need you to focus on this moment," Iroh gently instructed him. "I want you to close your eyes again, but this time stay with me. Tell me what you can hear and feel. Can you do that for me?"

Zuko nodded. He closed his eyes once again, but this time he put all his effort into staying in the present. As he focused on the sounds of the ship around him, he felt some of his panic begin to drop away.

"Tell me, nephew, what do you hear?"

Zuko took a deep breath. "I can hear the sounds of the ocean and the sounds of the waves as they lap into the sides of the ship. I can hear something calling out in the distance—it's some type of bird, like a seagull-vulture I think." He stopped for a few moments as his senses surveyed the rest of his surroundings. "I can also hear the slight rumblings of the ship's engine, and some shuffling noise, perhaps a crew member moving something further away on the ship's deck."

"Very good. Now, what do you feel?"

It took a moment for Zuko to answer. He wasn't sure if there was anything to note, but then sensations that he usually took for granted, he began to notice. "I can feel the sea breeze on my face, which is slightly wet and sticky. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face and arms now, even though it's not very strong yet." Zuko paused, and then he added, "And I can feel the weight and warmth of your hand on my shoulder. It's also...comforting." He felt a little embarrassed at saying that out loud, but when he opened up his eyes again, he saw his uncle smiling.

"Well done. Now tell me, how do you feel?"

Zuko was a little surprised by his uncle's question, but he was even more surprised when he realized how much different he felt. The panic and fear that had gripped him just moments ago was gone now, replaced by a quiet sense of calmness within him. He was still trying to process this abrupt change in him as he answered Iroh. "I feel...much better, actually. My mind feels quiet and focused again, just like when I'm doing my firebending forms."

Iroh nodded. "I thought so. This is why your morning exercises felt so essential for you. When you focus on being in the present, your mind will quiet and reach that inevitable state of peace and calm."

"You're right, I do feel better when I practice. But how am I supposed to achieve that same state when I go to face the Sons?" It was hard to keep the frustration out of his voice. "It's not just my own life that I have to worry about now, but Katara's and yours, and everyone else that has come to help put a stop to the Sons."

"You will just have to have faith in your friends, that they are strong enough to see this through, and that everything will work out in the end." His uncle had that calm and patient tone to his voice that he used when explaining things to his nephew. "Zuko, a little fear is a good thing. Fear can be our teacher, and help us stay alert and focused when we are in potentially dangerous situations. However, having too much fear is not good either. It can end up distorting your thinking and controlling you."

"Unfortunately, I know about that all too well," Zuko told him. "Ever since the Sons of Sozin appeared, it feels like I'm constantly afraid of what the next moment might bring. I've made some bad choices because of it too." _I won't make the mistake again of sending Katara away. But how do I protect her from what we're heading into now? "_ I don't know what to do, Uncle. I just keep thinking about what happened to Katara and I'm terrified of it happening again. How can I stop being so afraid?"

"You cannot stop fear because it is a natural part of who we are. Instead, we must learn how to counteract and successfully overcome it, and to do that, you must stay in the here and now. You see, fear can only live in the future, because it is our worry of something that may or may not ever happen. We, however, cannot control what happens in the future, only in the present. It is only when we focus our minds and senses completely in the present moment that we can banish fear, and achieve some of our true potential. Next time you feel that fear coming over you, make sure to stop and take a moment to tune into your surroundings. Ask yourself what you see and hear and feel, and fully concentrate on only that. Just like now, you will find that your fear and anxiety will diminish."

"And will it help with the…well, you know...the nightmares?"

His uncle's expression became very somber and he finally removed his hand from Zuko's shoulder. "I'm afraid that those can only be cured by one thing—time. You saw something that no person should have to go through. Something that traumatic will take some time for your mind to process, and eventually move on." He saw something flash through his uncle's eyes—a shared understanding of sorts—before Iroh glanced away.

His uncle turned his attention to the vast ocean in front of them, but his softly spoken words were still directed at Zuko. "When my wife died, I thought that scene would be forever etched into my memory. In the following weeks and months, it would haunt my dreams more times than it was absent, and I longed for the day when it would leave me completely. As the years went by, it came to me less often, and I would go months without it appearing in my dreams again. When I was finally able to make my peace over what had happened, the dream stopped coming to me. Now I have trouble even recalling that scene, and the details have become very fuzzy. I guess it was one of life's little ironies that the very dream I tried so vehemently to forget for all those years has finally faded into the past, and now I sometimes wish it hadn't—painful as it was. In the end, however, I think we were meant to forget things, for we are creatures of the moment." He turned back to Zuko, and despite the solemn topic, he somehow had a peaceful expression across his features. "Your dream will fade in time, Zuko. Just remember that is only a dream, and not a reflection of your true reality—you shape your reality by the choices you make in your waking moments."

His uncle's words brought back to mind something Katara had told him, in what seemed like ages ago. _Dreams are just dreams. Sometimes they can guide us, but it's ultimately our choices in life that makes us who we are. "_ Katara actually told me something very similar a while back." He could finally feel something of a smile sneak up on him. "I guess when I have two smart people telling me the same thing, I should listen, huh?"

Iroh returned his smile. "In general, I would say that would be wise. In this case, when one is your uncle and mentor and one is your girlfriend, even more so."

Zuko could feel his cheeks heat a little at his uncle's remark, which for some reason made the older man laugh. When Zuko directed a pointed look at him, Iroh explained. "It's just good to know that some things haven't changed, nephew, including your ability to be embarrassed by your uncle quite often."

"Very funny," Zuko answered dryly, "I'm just not...I guess I'm not used to thinking of Katara in those terms. She's so much more than just a 'girlfriend'. But I guess I'm going to have to get used to hearing it."

"Especially seeing how the two of you act when you're together, I would say so."

"What!?" Now he could feel his whole face flush. "We never—I mean…we don't do anything _like that_ , when we're out here on deck." He tried to take a deep breath and steady himself. "Katara and I are very careful about keeping it...professional...when we're out here with the others."

That smile on his uncle's face was really starting to irk him now. "Yes, the two of you do usually wait until your in your quarters, thinking you are by yourselves, before you start making kissing faces at each other-" Zuko nearly choked at his statement, but his uncle ignored him and kept going, "-but that is not what I was referring to, nephew. You and Katara have been practically glued to each other's side from the moment you came on deck. Except for your morning exercises, I don't think either of you have been more than five feet from each other. That, and the way the two of you look at each other...I think it is safe to say that most people on this ship knows what it means." His uncle's eyes softened. "It is nothing to be ashamed of, Zuko. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the two of you together, because I can see how happy you make each other. I only bring this up to give you some advice. Once you are back in the capital, you will need to make your relationship public, and announce it to the council and the court. It will be something expected of you as the Fire Lord."

Zuko frowned. "Dealing with the Sons of Sozin is the _only_ thing on my mind right now." He could see his uncle start to say something, however, and stalled him. "But yes, if Agni and all the good spirits combined make it so that Katara and I get through _this whole ordeal in one piece_ , then I will happily announce our relationship to the court and anyone else who cares to hear it." He sighed. "I never thought I would say this, but I actually long for the day when the only thing I have to worry about it is remembering which stack of papers Kenshin wants me to sign."

Iroh chuckled. "Now you are starting to sound like me."

Zuko smirked. "Only if I start to spout all day long about the wonders of tea and Pai Sho."

"If you spent that much time contemplating about Pai Sho-" a mischievous twinkle appeared in his uncle's eyes, "-then perhaps you wouldn't be losing matches to your girlfriend."

"That was _one time_!" Zuko threw his hands up in exasperation. "Why is it that out of the dozen matches that I played and won, the only thing that everyone remembers is the _one_ time that I lost?!"

"-It's because you're so adorable when you lose..." Zuko and Iroh turned to see Katara walking up to them, a big smile on her face. "..and also when you're having to concentrate really, really hard."

Zuko didn't know whether to be excited at seeing her again, irritated for her poking fun at him, or embarrassed by the whole thing in general. While the internal debate was raging inside of him, Katara came up and slipped her hand inside of his. Her smile hadn't lessened one bit.

"Well," Iroh mused out loud, "I was going to use the word 'amusing' instead of 'adorable', but then again, I am just an old man who loves to drink his tea."

Zuko shook his head. Katara usually watched when he and Iroh would play their Pai Sho matches. Zuko had asked her one time how she could sit there and watch the two of them play for hours on end without getting bored. She had answered that watching the two of them play was a good opportunity to watch and learn how to play, which made sense to Zuko. However, he soon found out the other reason she watched their matches was that she found his reactions 'entertaining', which would explain her outburst of giggles from time to time. This in turn would usually make his uncle laugh as well, so several times Zuko found himself sitting there trying to studiously ignore the fact that he was the reason why they were both giggling so much. He didn't find it amusing in the least bit. "I'm starting to think the two of you are conspiring behind my back."

Katara laughed. "Oh, come on, Zuko. It's just a little bit of teasing. Besides, seeing as I tend to lose every match of Pai Sho against you or Iroh, I have to gloat a little bit about my one win."

"I could take it a little easier on you-"

"-and let me me win on purpose?" Her lips turned down into a frown. "No thanks. I want to win solely on my own skill and strategy." A crooked smile stole onto her face. "That way, when I win _again_ , I can continue to gloat and rub it in your face."

Katara knew just how to bring out his competitive nature, and he loved it. "Fine, you're on. Just name the time and place."

"Later. Right now, I want to spar."

Iroh smiled at their banter. "Well, all this talk about Pai Sho and tea makes me want to indulge, so I will leave you nephew, to spend some quality time with your girlfriend." He winked, making Katara giggle while Zuko just rolled his eyes.

After Iroh walked off, Katara turned to him. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So I've been officially labeled as your 'girlfriend' now?"

Zuko smirked. "Apparently we weren't as good as hiding it as we thought, so yeah...I think that's the consensus." He could tell there was some seriousness in her tone though, so he gently grabbed her hand and drew her closer to him. "But the most important question is, are _you_ happy with that?"

"Happy with _what_?" she asked, but by the look in her eyes, she knew exactly what she meant and was delighting in teasing him.

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Yup." She smirked. "We better make it official, lest some scandalous rumors start circulating."

"Yeah, because that's what we really should be worried about right now."

"Zuko, if you don't ask me, I'm going to turn you into a block of ice right where you stand, and make you stay there until the ice eventually melts."

Despite the serious topic, he couldn't help but laugh at that imagery. "And I have no doubt that you would do it too." He quickly sobered, however, and stared unflinchingly into her deep blue eyes. After several moments of just exploring her loving gaze, he asked her very simply, "Katara, will you be my girlfriend?"

Katara didn't answer right away. She continued to hold his gaze until she finally smiled. "Yes, I will."

Before he could say anything else, she reached up slightly on her tiptoes and quickly pressed her lips against his.

Not caring anymore if anyone was watching, Zuko wrapped both his arms around her and hugged her tightly against him as he eagerly returned her kiss. He could feel her hands slip up behind his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps wherever her hands touched his bare skin. The heat between them was building rapidly, and it surprised him when Katara suddenly pulled away, slightly gasping for breath.

The surprise must have shown on his expression, because she quickly explained. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what again?"

"Turning me into a silly, blushing girl incapable of a single, coherent thought." The slightest hint of irritation crossed her expression as she tried to get her breathing back under control. "And do you have to be shirtless? It's really not fair, you know."

"If you were constantly handling fire around your hands, arms, and chest you'd dress this way too."

That immediately elicited a raised eyebrow from her. "You mean _topless_?"

Zuko blushed and quickly stammered, "No! That's not what I meant...I just meant that, you know...you would dress a lot cooler, I guess…" He was still trying to recover from that line of thinking when Katara once again leaned in, giving him another short but sweet kiss. As she was pulling away, a thought then occurred to him. "You're enjoying seeing me twist in the wind, aren't you?"

A devious smile spread across her lips. "Pretty much. Shall we begin our practice?"

He shook his head, still at a loss for words. "Sure." Zuko closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to center himself and have his mind calm and focused before they began. He couldn't help but be a little satisfied by the fact that they were pretty evenly matched. However, this also meant he had to be at the top of his game to go toe-to-toe with Katara and her water bending.

Usually, he would have looked forward to their sparring matches with eager anticipation and desire to come out the winner. Things were different now, however. Since they left Ba Sing Se, all the two of them could think about was preparing as much as possible for what was coming ahead of them. A very serious undertone was present in all of their matches, and they practiced constantly, for hours on end. While they were careful not to hurt each other, neither one of them took it easy on the other. They simply couldn't afford to.

"I think I want to change it up today though," Katara told him as he opened his eyes once again.

"What do you mean?"

"Instead of using our bending, I want to do a hand-to-hand match."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we haven't done one of those yet but I think we should." Her expression turned somber. "Especially considering what happened in Ba Sing Se."

Zuko had to close his eyes once again as the queasiness in his stomach returned at that thought. Desperately, he clung to what his uncle had told him just moments ago. _I can't think about that...I need to stay in the present. I have to focus on this moment, and this moment alone._ He took several deep breaths in a row as he once again tuned into his surroundings.

Katara must have sensed the change in him, because she quickly grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's going to be okay, Zuko. I just want some practice, if you're up for it. If not, that's okay too—"

"—No," he uttered as he opened his eyes, "It's fine. You're probably right. We should practice some hand-to-hand too."

She gave him a small smile. "Okay then. Did you need a few moments before we begin?"

"Nope, I'm good. Let's do this."

Katara let go of his hand and took a few steps back, keeping a very small amount of distance between them. Zuko shifted into a defensive stance and zoned into Katara and her movements. He remembered that Katara wasn't as experienced with hand-to-hand combat, so he would likely need to go on the offensive. Wanting to test her basics, he moved in close and aimed some slower strikes at her chest. Right away, she squared her stance and brought up her arms, blocking them all in time.

"Good," he told her, surprised yet pleased at her reaction. "Let's try something else."

This time, Zuko tried to land some light hits around her stomach area. Once again, Katara was able to deflect every one of them. Zuko decided then it was time to change it up a little. He threw a couple light punches at her chest, which she blocked, and then he aimed as if he was going for her midsection again. She moved to block these, but instead of following through Zuko switched and went high again. Katara tried to block high but was a little too late. Instead of landing the punch however, Zuko instead grabbed her forearms and swung her around, throwing her balance off. In one swift move, he hooked his leg around the back of hers, taking her legs out from underneath her and dumping her unceremoniously to the ground.

Zuko offered her a hand up and gave her an encouraging smile. "Not bad. You have some of the basics there, we just have to work on your speed and reaction time."

Katara frowned, and he could hear the frustration in her voice. "Need to work on my speed, huh?" She didn't offer anything further, but she did grab his hand and let him pull her up. He could tell by her expression though that she was far from giving up. As if to prove that point, she brought her arms up and moved into a defensive stance.

Even though Zuko knew he needed to be serious, a part of him couldn't help but secretly enjoy this. He had always had a competitive nature, and he loved that Katara did as well. Of course, it also meant that neither one of them ever wanted to give up easily.

Zuko moved into his stance as he thought about what to try next. He had decided on his plan of attack when suddenly Katara rushed at him, completely throwing him off guard.

He could see the fierce determination in her eyes as she brought both her arms up and aimed two quick punches at his chest. Zuko brought his arms close in front of him, just barely making it in time to block her attacks. It has cost him some of his balance, however, and Katara seemed to sense this as well. Before he could recover, her right arm was already moving towards him again. Only this time, she used the open palm of her hand and struck him in the stomach. The move momentarily took his breath away and forced him to stagger backwards. He saw Katara move, and then suddenly his legs buckled underneath him. The next moment, he landed hard on his back.

Zuko laid there, trying to get his breath back and wondering what the hell had just happened, when Katara's face appeared above him. Zuko's surprise quickly turned into irritation when he saw the large grin spread across her lips.

"You okay?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," he almost growled at her as he quickly got back up. "And where did you learn a move like that?"

Katara wasn't even trying to hide how pleased she felt at the moment. "I had Suki show me a few moves before we left."

Zuko shook his head. "Well, that explains it. You could have least given me a little head's up that you had been practicing with Suki."

"Now where's the fun in that? And don't tell me you're done with our practice already."

Zuko huffed. "Not by a long shot. You just got lucky."

That immediately wiped the grin off her face. "Lucky, huh? Then let's go again."

"Sounds good to me."

They both squared off again, though this time they eyed each other much more warily. Zuko feinted low and then went high, but Katara blocked all his strikes. They both tried landing hits on each other, but now both their defenses were on high and each blow was blocked. Zuko had to admit that he was impressed at how quickly she was learning. He realized he would have to pull something unexpected if he wanted to win this match.

He lunged forward and aimed some strikes at her chest and then her midsection, which Katara quickly blocked. Just like he did before, he acted like he was going to aim for her chest, and at the last second instead opened up his fists and grabbed both her forearms. However, the rest didn't go anything like he expected.

Before Zuko could swing her around, Katara suddenly jumped up and wrapped both her legs around his waist, twisting to the left. The move completely caught Zuko off guard, and the next moment they were both falling towards the ground. Not wanting to land on Katara, Zuko twisted as they fell, trying to get underneath her. While his plan was successful, he didn't get to celebrate as he then hit the deck with painful grunt. The impact went up legs and back, and knocked the breath out of him. When air rushed back into his lungs, he groaned.

"Zuko, are you okay?"

Katara's voice made him acutely aware of his surroundings again, and the fact that she was still in his arms, laying on top of him. He let go of her arms, and she quickly moved her arms and legs to the sides of him, so she could straddle and hover over him without putting any more weight on him. In another moment, he was able to speak. "Yeah...you just knocked the breath out of me. Give me a moment."

"Sure, as soon as you admit that I won that round."

He glared at her. "The only reason I need a moment is because I made sure not to land on you. I was trying to make sure you didn't get hurt in that little stunt of yours."

"Well, you never said I had to fight fair." Her words reminded him of their previous hand-to-hand sparring match they had back when they had been at the Fire Nation palace. Katara had said something similar then before it led to...other things. It suddenly seemed obvious to him that Katara was having similar thoughts, because her expression changed, showing something akin to...hunger. Her brilliant blue eyes slid down to his lips, and he immediately sucked in his breath, waiting for what was coming next.

Katara slowly closed the distance between them, and Zuko could almost feel the electricity between them as she hovered her lips above his. The feel of her soft lips when it finally met his sent a jolt throughout his body. He loved the heady feeling that came with it. It also left him feeling hungry for more.

Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and roughly yanked her down on top of him. The feel of her entire body pressed against his now completely dominated all his thoughts. All he could think about was how he didn't want this to stop. Katara must have had similar thoughts, because she deepened their kiss, pressing herself into him even more. Their kisses were now becoming faster and deeper, making them gasp for breath. He was so tuned into her and how she was making him feel that he was blissfully unaware of the world around him. Which also meant he didn't hear the footsteps that was steadily approaching them.

The sound of someone clearing their throat—very loudly and on purpose—finally managed to break through to both Zuko and Katara. They immediately broke off their kiss, and when Katara tried to roll off of Zuko quickly, she hit the deck with a small grunt.

Her face was completely red with embarrassment, just like Zuko knew his was too. However, much to his surprise, she started to laugh. Then, funny enough, he started to laugh too.

Zuko knew they both probably looked pretty ridiculous, sitting on the deck and laughing like they were, but he realized at that moment that he also didn't care. In that moment he was happy, and that was all that mattered.

"So…" Katara finally stopped enough to catch her breath, "how is it that we found ourselves in that same situation again?"

He grinned, "It's obviously your fault. You're the one who doesn't want to admit defeat."

"Oh really?" She playfully gave him a light push. "Maybe that's because you keep taunting me about how I should just give up."

Someone cleared their throat again, making Zuko and Katara finally look over to who had interrupted them. It was none other than Piandao, who was trying very hard to retain a serious expression. "So...am I interrupting something?"

Zuko chuckled. Deja vu indeed. "No, it's fine." He stood up and then helped Katara do the same. Unashamedly, she leaned in and gave him another quick kiss. Zuko knew he was still blushing like a sunset, but he studiously tried to ignore that fact. "Yes, what can we do for you Master Piandao?"

"I was told to invite both you and Katara to breakfast, if you would like to join Iroh and the others."

"We would love to," Katara warmly replied. She slipped her fingers through Zuko's and gave his hand a warm squeeze. A beautiful smile lit up her whole expression. "Shall we?"

"After you," Zuko told her. It would take some time getting used to people knowing about the two of them, but it was something that Zuko was really starting to look forward to. Neither Zuko nor Katara could stop smiling all through breakfast.

* * *

Katara woke in a start.

The small glint of light from the nearby candle did little to illuminate the room she was in, and it took her a moment to remember where she was. As she tried to calm her racing heart something moved beside her, instantly jogging her memory.

She was in Zuko's cabin inside of his ship, lying on a sleeping mat on the floor. Zuko had insisted that his uncle take his bed while he slept on a mat on the other side of the room—something that Iroh had initially protested but eventually agreed to. Katara had been offered a small room to herself but she had refused. With so many people sharing rooms, she wouldn't have felt right taking a whole room to herself. But if she was being honest with herself, the main reason she had refused was because she didn't want to be alone right now—and neither did Zuko. They each had their own sleeping mats next to each other, but as happened every night so far they ended up sleeping right up next to each other, usually with Katara in the crook of Zuko's arm. It felt so amazing being so close to him, and also very reassuring after what they had both just been through. Though it also meant that when Zuko had nightmares it would wake her up, like now.

Zuko groaned, then muttered something unintelligible as he jerked in his sleep again. _He must be having another nightmare. I better wake him up._ Katara put a hand on his shoulder and gently shook him. "Zuko?" she whispered, "Zuko, wake up."

A whimper escaped him as he rolled towards her. "No...Katara…" she heard him mutter, but his words turned into an unintelligible moan once again. She tried again to wake him.

"Zuko…" Katara reached out and softly caressed his cheek. "Zuko, please wake up."

She could feel how clammy his skin was as she ran her fingers down his jawline. The nightmare still had a firm grip on him. "Katara…" she heard him whisper. His eyebrows furrowed, and she was surprised to see a tear escape from the corner of his eye.

 _Oh no, not again…_ "Zuko?" She finally raised her voice. " _Zuko, snap out of it!_ "

" _NO!.._.. _Katara_!" Zuko said her name with such force, his eyes snapped open immediately. Even in the dim candlelight, Katara could see the terror coursing through his golden eyes. In a rush, he sat up. His breathing came in ragged gasps as he looked wildly about the room, still obviously trying to figure out what was going on.

"Zuko, it's okay," she told him gently, "it's me, Katara. I'm right here. Everything is okay."

"Katara?" Even though he focused his gaze on her, he still seemed confused. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Zuko, it's me." Katara slowly reached out and grabbed his hand with her own. She already knew what his nightmare had been about because it had been the same every night. She tried to reassure him, even though she was on the verge of tears herself. "Zuko, I'm fine. I promise nothing's happened to me...I'm just fine, okay?"

"I saw you…" Zuko said with a groan, but stopped talking as he gasped for breath. More tears slipped from the corners of his eyes. "You were in my arms again, but there was so much blood…" His entire expression seem to crumble, and a sob escaped him. "You were so cold...so cold…" He began to shiver as if the memory was a living thing trying to suffocate him.

"Zuko-" Tears blotted her vision, but Katara was so desperate to console him that she didn't even care. Gently, but firmly, she drew him to her as they laid back down. Another violent tremor took him, but she simply wrapped him tighter in her embrace. "I'm alive and I'm here," Katara softly whispered into his ear, "you don't have to be afraid anymore." Zuko didn't answer her, but he didn't have to. She just continued to hold him as the tremors came. Ever so slowly, her warmth and touch spread through him, and he became still again.

Katara wasn't sure how long they laid there, finding both comfort and relief in each other's embrace. The sound of his breath, the warmth of his skin...it comforted her in ways that words never could. She could tell that Zuko felt the same way too, for his breathing became even and steady again. _The worst has past_. At some point, she tilted her head up slightly and planted a soft kiss against his neck. "Do you want to try to go back to sleep?"

She could feel him shake his head. "I can't, not right after that…I think I need to go out on deck for a bit."

"Alright, I'll join you."

They both got up and carefully made their way to the door—amazingly enough, Iroh's loud snores informed them that he was still asleep. Zuko made a small flame above his palm, and by using its light, they quietly traversed the hallways until they found themselves out on the deck of the ship. As soon as they were out under the moonlight, Zuko let his flame die out. The moon was nearly full, lending plenty of light to navigate across the ship's deck. Though their presence on deck didn't need to necessarily need to be kept secret, Katara also knew that Zuko didn't want to draw attention to themselves. It was still hard for him to open up about what he was going through—even to her and Iroh—so the less attention he attracted on nightly outings like these, the better.

Katara automatically went to the ship's railing, drawn by the closer proximity to her element. While staring out at the endless ocean unnerved some, it had the opposite effect on her. She almost felt...at home. If she could, she would have stood there for hours on end, just staring at the ocean. Zuko would sometimes tease her about it, telling her that she should have been a sailor as a profession. Right now, however, he definitely was not in a teasing mood. She was wise enough to know that he needed some time and space right now, and so let him talk as much or as little as he wanted.

Zuko was quiet as he came up next to her and leaned against the railing. They shared a comfortable silence as they both looked out at the moonlit waters. After some time, he finally turned towards her. "I think you and Iroh have finally managed to change my mind about sailing."

"Really?" She aimed a curious look at him. "How so?"

"I've realized now that I've actually come to enjoy it—and not just because of the pleasant company," he lightly added, "but I guess you can say the view is growing on me." He looked back out at the dark, rolling mass in front of them. "Lately, when I need to quiet my mind, I find myself just staring out at it. It's calming, in a way. I don't know exactly how to describe it."

"You don't have to." Katara smiled. "I know exactly what you mean. I'm just a little surprised at hearing you say it."

"I know, me too." Zuko frowned. "The crazy thing is...I used to hate sailing. Every time I would look out and see nothing but an endless blue horizon, it would make me angry. And it wasn't just because of the sea sickness—though I did eventually get over that. There was something about it that I didn't like, or couldn't relate to. Whenever the storms would come, it would make me feel insignificant and powerless, and I hated feeling that way."

Katara nodded. "There's a lot of people who feel the same way. It confused me at first, but then as I thought about it more, it made sense to me. Some people just don't like being in a situation where there have little control over what's happening to them. The ocean can calm and beautiful one moment, and the next it can be violent and terrifying."

Zuko uttered a short, humorless laugh. "That sounds a lot like what it's been like in the Fire Nation over the last couple of months. As much as I try to bring some order and stability to our situation, something always happens to bring it spinning back out of my control and into chaos."

"Like with the assassination attempts on your life?"

Zuko looked at her with surprise. "Who told you—"

"—Kenshin did," Katara cut him off abruptly, "after I specifically asked him about it. I overheard some of your guards talking about it yesterday at dinner." She placed her hand lightly on his arm. "Zuko, why didn't you tell me about it sooner?"

He quickly averted his gaze. "It wasn't that big of a deal. Besides, it's all in the past now."

Removing her hand, she promptly crossed her arms and aimed a hard stare at him. "Are you saying that because you really believe that, or because you're trying to protect me from the truth?"

Zuko opened his mouth as if to argue, but when he turned to look at her again and saw the expression on her face, he swiftly changed his mind. After another moment to compose himself, he answered her, "I wasn't trying to hide anything from you, Katara, I just didn't think now was a good time to bring it up."

"Seeing as how we are about to head right into the heart of the Fire Nation and Sons of Sozin's nest, I think now is _exactly_ the time to talk about this kind of stuff."

That brought a scowl to his face. "We have more than enough things to worry about coming up in our near future, without having to add things that have already happened."

Before Zuko had finished speaking, Katara could see the fear creep into his eyes once again. _He still can't shake the dream off, as much as he doesn't want to admit it._ She softened her expression, and placed her hand over his. "I'm sorry you had to relive that moment again. If there was any way I could take that day in Ba Sing Se back, I would."

Even by the light of the moon, she could see his eyes widen in shock at the mention of Ba Sing Se. Zuko suddenly looked like he had been punched in the gut. He hurriedly turned away from her and towards the ocean again, and began taking deep breaths, no doubt in an attempt to regain some composure. Katara said nothing, but gave his hand another gentle squeeze. After a few more deliberate breaths, he spoke again, but this time his voice was much softer, and strained.

"Ba Sing Se...I didn't think it could get any worse than that day I turned on my uncle. Iroh was the only person left in my family who loved and accepted me unconditionally, and in return I betrayed him, for the most selfish reasons. I have never felt so ashamed in my life as I did that day. I didn't think I could ever feel worse than I did at that moment when I turned away from him, abandoning him." His hands suddenly clenched into fists. "I was wrong."

"Zuko, you don't have to-" The rest of Katara's words died on her lips when Zuko turned his gaze back to her. The agony she saw in its golden depths took her breath away.

"Watching you fade away in front of my eyes as I held you—knowing that it was all my fault—was the most horrible thing I have ever experienced. It felt like a part of me had died with you, and there was only a shell of me left. The only thing that kept me going right afterwards was anger, and vengeance. If you hadn't come back, and I don't know what I would have resorted to in dealing with the Sons at that point." A slight shudder ran through him. "Sometimes I still question if I'm really all that different from Ozai and Azula, when it comes down to it."

"Of course you are, Zuko. How can you even say that?"

He shook his head. "If you knew what was running through my head that day, you would probably think the same thing."

His answer surprised her, and it also brought up something else Katara had been wondering about. "After I...came back...Aang said something to you about him 'lashing out in anger'. What did he mean by that?"

Zuko frowned, and Katara wondered for a moment if he was going to answer her, but then he obliged. "When Aang and Sokka came back to the palace and found out what had happened with you, Aang took the news pretty badly, especially when I told him about the two of us. He basically said that everything that happened was my fault, and if I hadn't come to Ba Sing Se, you would still be alive."

"That's not fair," Katara protested, "You were tricked into thinking the Sons weren't a threat-"

"-which I didn't know at time," Zuko cut her off, "and in any case, it didn't matter. Aang thought I was totally to blame, and to be honest, at that moment I agreed with him. Aang got really angry then and went into the Avatar state-"

"- _He did what_?!" Katara could feel her jaw drop. "What did he do?"

"Nothing, really."

"Zuko…" He clearly didn't want to elaborate further, but Katara had to know. " _What happened_?"

"I told you. Nothing really happened."

" _Something_ had to have happened, otherwise why did Aang even say that? He apologized for doing something, and I want to know what."

"Fine," Zuko answered with a sigh. "There's not much to tell though. Aang went into the avatar state, and also put a barrier around him and me so that Sokka and Iroh couldn't interfere. He lifted up off the ground and...I don't know...for a few moments I thought he was going to attack me, but he didn't."

Katara could almost picture the scene in her mind. She had seen Aang go into the avatar state several times, and display a power over the elements that was nearly incomprehensible. It was both awe-inspiring and unsettling at the same time. Just knowing that Aang had entered the avatar state with the intent of hurting Zuko both horrified and angered her. _Now I understand why Aang said what he did. I can't believe he threatened Zuko like that. What if he had actually gone through with it, and attacked Zuko?_ Katara suddenly realized her anger was getting out of control, and tried to calm down. _I can't very well be mad at Aang for losing his temper if I do the same myself. They're both fine, and that's what is most important._ She took a deep breath. "So, why did Aang stop?"

Zuko didn't answer her right away. Katara had decided that maybe he hadn't heard her, and was about to ask again when he finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because I told him I didn't care what he did to me. I was already in so much pain, whatever he was going to do to me didn't really matter at that point. Right after that, he came out of the avatar state and that was the end of it."

There was so much she wanted to say to him, but she didn't know how to even begin. "I'm so sorry, Zuko."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for. You didn't ask to be involved in any of that."

"Well, I'm going to be involved in it _now_ , whether you like it or not. We're a team, remember?"

His lips curled into a small smile at the memory, but it didn't reach his eyes. She could still see the fear and worry that clouded his gaze. Katara closed the distance between them and placed her hand in the middle of his chest. The move surprised him, but after a moment he visibly relaxed, and placed a hand over hers. "I know you're anxious about Sokka's plan," she softly told him, "but you need to trust us that we know what we're doing, and that it's going to turn out okay."

"But you don't _know_ that." Zuko's voice was laced with frustration. "You don't know what the Sons of Sozin are truly capable of. I've already gotten so many people hurt, or worse…"

He had closed his eyes at his last words, but before he could sink too far into that line of though, Katara gently placed her other hand on top of his scar. He immediately opened his eyes again, and stared unblinkingly into her gaze. "You're right, Zuko. I don't know how it's going to turn out, and I can't guarantee that we're all going to be okay. But I know one thing. I would rather stand alongside you and the rest of my friends and fight the Sons together, no matter what the outcome may be, than to run away and hide in some corner in the world and live in constant fear of what might come. We've all made the decision to help you, so what happens now is not just your responsibility, it's all of ours. We're going to face it _together_."

She saw warmth seep back into his golden eyes, and he smiled. "It really is amazing how fearless you are…". He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. "Thank you, for reminding me that I'm not in this alone...and not to give up hope just yet."

Katara smiled. "Well, you keep saying I'm the expert on hope."

That actually made him chuckle. "I guess I did, didn't I?"

She moved her hand so she could place her head on his chest, and Zuko quickly circled his arms around her, pulling her even tighter to him. Like they had done so many times on the ship already, they stopped just to savor the moment they had together. They had both learned a painful lesson that nothing was guaranteed, including their time with each other. Katara could only hope that the spirits would be good to them, and see them both safely through the troubled waters ahead.


	25. Into the Inferno

**Author's Note** : Yes, I'm finally posting a chapter-hurray! I really wasn't joking when I said it takes me a long time to post some times. Though lately I've had a lot more free time (for obvious reasons) and I will cross my fingers that I can keep up the writing now and finish this story over the summer (also crossing toes).

Since it's been sooo long, I thought it would be helpful for me to put a quick index here of all of my relevant Original Characters to help stir the memory (I know, I know... if I didn't take so long to update I wouldn't have to do this, lol). That being said, I would still recommend re-reading at least a few chapters to get caught up: if you don't have a whole bunch of time, I would still recommend starting at Chapter 23 since that's where this last story arc really kicks off. Of course, if you just have TONS of time (which is possible) you could re-read my entire NOVEL of a story and then be really caught up, lol (omg it took me an entire weekend to read this whole monster...totally worth it though). Enough of my rant, hope you enjoy! :-)

OC INDEX:

 **Masato** \- Zuko & Katara originally meet him early in the story at the Southern Prison in the Fire Nation capital during a prison break out. He's big and gruff but described as a "big softie" underneath it all. He eventually becomes head of security for Zuko and part of his inner council, as well as a loyal friend. In recent events, he was captured by the Sons of Sozin (along with Toph) and is now being held as their prisoner somewhere in the capital.

 **Liem** \- A young and brash orphan who grew up on the streets of the capital city, Zuko and Katara also met Liem during the prison break early on in the story. Though initially he professes only to help Zuko and team to earn some extra money, he later admits that he enjoys spending time with Zuko, Toph, and group and considers them as friends. In recent events, he was with Toph and Masato in the Prison Tower when the Sons of Sozin attacked to release their members who were being held prisoner. He fights and eventually passes out during the attack and he wakes up to find Toph and Masato gone. Now he has been searching the capital city to see what has been happening to his friends.

 **Kenshin** \- Though originally Kenshin served as second secretary under Ozai, he did not approve of his rule and was relieved when Zuko became the new Fire Lord. He has been an invaluable help to Zuko in running the daily administrative needs (and paperwork) that comes with the office. He left with Zuko to the Peace Conference in Ba Sing Se and is now traveling back with him to the Fire Nation

 **Warden Takashi** \- Warden of the Southern Prison in the capital city. He also met Zuko and Katara at the beginning of the story during the prison break. Though he initially thought Zuko was a traitor, Zuko swiftly changed his mind and now he is unquestionably loyal to the new Fire Lord

 **High General Ichiro** \- A Fire Nation general that was initially a member of Ozai's cabinet and third in overall command of the Fire Nation military (under High Generals Bujing and Shinu) during Ozai's reign. He later pledges loyalty to Zuko and assists him as Zuko tries to bring order back to the Fire Nation. Not everyone is happy to have him around and doubts his intentions, though Zuko believes that his actions have proved that he is loyal.

 **Kayo** \- After helping Liem out of a little bit of a jam at the palace recently, Kayo eventually tells Liem that she grew up in the Fire nation but has been in the Earth Kingdom over the last several years working as a spy in their eyes-and-eyes network. She hints that she used to have a life in the capital city but had to leave when things went sour, and now is back to get a pardon from the new Fire Lord and get her life back. Liem knows she's still hiding something but they part on friendly terms.

 **Setsuko** \- after much searching, Zuko finally learns that Setsuko is the current leader of the Sons of Sozin. Setsuko is the one that meets with potential clients and decides if they are going to do business. It is obvious now that Setsuko and the Sons of Sozin are still after Zuko and Katara and will stop at nothing to have them eliminated and to keep the Sons going.

 **Goro** \- Goro is Setsuko's second in command for the Sons of Sozin. He and Zuko have met (and fought) several times now-the last time they fought, Zuko burned and scarred Goro- leaving Goro with a severe hatred for the young Fire Lord and a thirst for vengeance.

 **Yoshiro** \- Zuko hasn't been able to find out yet who is behind hiring the Sons to kill him. The only clues they have found out (so far) is that whoever wants Zuko gone is, or was, a general, and that a person named Yoshiro is close to them. Yoshiro was there on the day that they hired the Sons to kill Zuko and Katara. Zuko and the gang, despite their best efforts, still have not been able to come across anyone named Yoshiro...

* * *

"You know, I'm really looking forward to the day we can step into the Fire Nation Capital and be greeted with open arms and platters of food, instead of hoards of firebending and knife-welding fanatics who are plotting to kill us."

Suki shook her head at Sokka's words. As usual, he was trying in his own way to lighten the somber mood that had fallen over their little group. Aang, Bumi, Pakku, and Jeong Jeong were also riding with them on Appa, and together they made up the advanced team that was to arrive in the Fire Nation capital ahead of the group on Zuko's ship. The trip so far had been very uneventful and filled with good stories and jokes—most of which had been funny, though if Sokka retold the drama of the Ember Island Players _yet again_ , even she was going to lose her patience over it. Aside from Pakku's continued corrections—and irritation—on how Sokka should be addressing him, the group overall had been in good spirits. That quickly began to change however, as the vast expanse of the caldera began to dominate their horizon.

Suki leaned in closer and gave Sokka a playful nudge. "Well, I guess that's just part of the job when you're the best of the best."

He finally turned away from the sight in front of them and turned to look at her, a quizzical look on his face. "The best of what exactly?"

"The best at beating the bad guys, of course."

That made him smile. "Yeah, I guess we are the best team out there...probably the best _in the world_. I think I could get used to hearing that." He waved his arm in a sweeping, theatrical motion. "Now coming to a city near you: Team Avatar, World-Renown Heroes and Ultimate Baddie Smashers!" He grinned as he glanced at her. "What do you think?"

Suki couldn't help but chuckle. "All we need now is a theme song."

"Not a bad idea...I'm sure we can think of something."

"I'm sure we could." She grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Once again, he had lifted her spirits and put a smile on her face. _We have to stay hopeful and positive...Toph and Masato are counting on us._

"There it is!" They heard Aang call out. He was riding ahead of them on Appa with the reins, and he pointed to a spot in front of them and off to the right. "There's the Southern Prison."

"Good," Sokka replied, "Take us in, nice and easy. Suki, go ahead and hand me the flag. Everyone keep your eyes open just in case."

Suki reached down by her satchel and grabbed their 'flag', which really was just one of Sokka's white shirts tied onto a long stick. Hopefully it would be enough, however, to let the people below know that their intentions were peaceful.

Sokka took the makeshift flag and started to wave it high overhead as Appa began to make his descent. Everyone was on high alert as the prison grew larger below them. As they got closer, Suki could hear men starting to yell at each other. Their group tensed, waiting for an attack to come, and it seemed to take forever for them to close the distance. Aang gracefully guided Appa down in the middle of the open courtyard and touched down, thankfully without incident. They weren't out of trouble yet though, and as if to prove this point a ring of guards began to encircle them, their weapons at the ready. One of the guards who must have been in charge of the group stepped forward and addressed them.

"You are trespassing in a secure prison of the Fire Nation. Who are you and what is your business?"

Sokka finally lowered the flag. "We're friends of Fire Lord Zuko and are here on his behalf. We have a message for Warden Takashi and we need to speak to him immediately."

"And how do I know that you're telling the truth?"

"Well for one, I have a letter with the Fire Lord's seal on it, and for two...we have the Avatar himself here with us."

Aang solemnly stood up after Sokka's announcement, and they could immediately hear surprised whispers coming from the circle of guards. Sokka spoke up again before the guard had composed himself. "And before you ask, yes, he really is the Avatar. Aang could give you a whole show if you would like, but seeing as he is covered with air bending tattoos and flying an air bison...do we really need to?"

Aang nodded in respect to the guard. "We mean you no harm. We are here as your allies, on behalf of Fire Lord Zuko. It is very important that we speak to Warden Takashi right away." A boyish smile crossed his lips, and his tone sounded hopeful. "So, can you help us?"

The guard hesitated for just a moment before he finally nodded and motioned for the other guards to drop their weapons. He turned back to Sokka. "I'll send a squad to escort you to the Warden." The man then looked quizzically at Appa. "Will your...mount need to be put up in a stable in the meantime?"

"Appa will need some food," Aang answered, "but he's not picky about where he stays." He smiled again. "As long as he's comfy, he'll be fine."

The guard nodded and began giving instructions to the rest of his unit. Suki and the rest of the group grabbed their things from Appa's saddle and then followed their guard escort into the large complex of buildings. Suki kept track of their route and turns they made as they snaked their way through the maze of hallways, though it was quite the challenge. The fact that Sokka kept making fire nation or prison themed jokes and puns every ten steps didn't help her either—like how he had been in so many prisons now he was a 'Pro' at being a 'Con'. She would usually just shake her head while still trying not to lose her count.

Eventually they came to a door that already had a pair of guards on either side, both of which saluted when their group approached. The room they entered was moderately sized and very modest, with only a large desk, some bookcases, and a couple chairs inhabiting it. The man seated behind the desk was middle-aged and very stern looking. This was probably because his lips were turned down into a deep frown as he surveyed the group in front of him.

"So…" Sokka took a step closer to the desk, "You're Warden Takashi, I'm assuming?" When those hardened gold eyes locked onto Sokka, Suki could hear Sokka audibly gulp as he made himself stand a little straighter. The nervousness and tension in the room was almost palpable.

"Yes, I am Warden Takashi," the older man answered as he gave Suki and their group another hard look, "and there better be a good explanation as to why I have such a large group of individuals—who clearly are not from the Fire Nation—in the middle of a Fire Nation prison."

The main guard that had led them there spoke up first. "Warden Takashi, they say they are here on Fire Nation business, and the Avatar is one of them."

Aang stepped forward and gave a courteous bow to the warden. "I am Avatar Aang, and you're right, most of us are not from the Fire Nation." He then nodded towards Sokka, "Sokka is from the Southern Water Tribe…" Aang began to motion towards each of them in turn, "Master Pakku is from the Northern Water Tribe, Suki and King Bumi are from the Earth Kingdom, and Master Jeong Jeong...well, he used to be in the Fire Nation but lately has been in Earth Kingdom."

Jeong Jeong bowed his head in respect. "Warden Takashi, I know that my history with the Fire Nation has been a bit...rocky, but I want to assure you that I am here on behalf of Fire Lord Zuko, and will provide whatever help I can to help both our Fire Lord and our nation."

Master Pakku nodded in agreement. "I think I can safely speak for both Bumi and myself that we feel the same. We are not here to dwell on the past, but to help pave a safe and secure future for everyone involved."

"The point is," Aang spoke up again, "that we've all come a long way to get here, for a very important reason. Fire Lord Zuko needs our help, and he needs yours."

Warden Takashi's frown stayed in place. "If Fire Lord Zuko truly needed my help, then he would have either come here in person or sent me a message."

Sokka grinned triumphantly. "Actually we do have a message for you...somewhere…" Sokka's smile quickly vanished as he started rummaging through various pouches and pockets with no success. "Um Sweetie?..."

Suki had to try very hard to suppress a smile as she held up Zuko's letter. Sokka looked over at her and then sighed with relief when he saw what she held.

"Ah, thanks Suki you're a lifesaver!" Without further ado, Sokka took the letter and handed it to the warden. "And Zuko wanted me to tell you something...something so that you could make sure it was really him that sent us…". His brow then furrowed as if he was deep in thought. Sokka started tapping his chin, obviously racking his brain, and Suki had to try really hard not to laugh. Warden Takashi, however, didn't seem amused in the least.

"...which was?" The warden asked impatiently.

"Hold on...I got the gist of it, but I'm trying to remember his exact words…"

Suki chimed in, "Sokka, I can pass along the message if you—"

"—I got it!" Sokka excitedly interrupted her. "Zuko wanted to tell you to remember the first day you both met, and that the reason why he showed mercy to you that day was because—in his exact words— 'If we're going to rebuild this nation, we need to learn how to work together, and we're both going to need each other's help in the coming days, once again'. Well, that was pretty close to what he said anyways."

If the message seemed strange to the rest of the group, the warden didn't seem confused at all at the words. In fact, the deep frown that had dominated his features was gone, and in its place was something that might have resembled satisfaction or relief. "Those were his words. I don't think I ever could forget them as long as I live...or forget _anything_ that happened that day as a matter of fact." He then turned his attention to the small scroll that Sokka had handed him. After inspecting the official seal, he broke it and read the contents of the short letter. Suki didn't know exactly what Zuko had put in the letter, but she had a good idea of what it contained. Her suspicions were confirmed when he put the letter down, his expression once again grim. "So it's true...the Sons of Sozin do have hostages."

"Unfortunately yes," Aang answered before anyone else could. Suki could hear the pain in his voice, even though he tried to conceal it. "That's why we're here—we have to save Toph and Masato. It's our first priority."

"And Fire Lord Zuko...does he really plan on surrendering to the Sons?"

"Yes, he does."

"And I suppose you and your friends tried to talk him out of it, but he's still going to do it?"

"Pretty much."

The warden muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a curse before he got up and started to pace behind his desk. "I guess I don't have to impress on you just how dangerous the Sons of Sozin are."

Suki remembered all the different encounters they had with the Sons—including all the close calls—and she shuttered. "Yes, we all know what to expect from the Sons."

Warden Takashi stopped his pacing and looked her dead in the eye. "So then you know that going down under the lake to rescue Masato and Toph is as damn near close to a suicide mission as it comes. You're going to be in tight quarters underground, heading into their turf where they have Agni's knows what traps or nasty surprises laying about, against a significant number of them."

"Yes, we know," Suki quietly answered him, "but it doesn't change our resolve. We're going in to rescue them regardless, but if you and your guards could help us, we just might have a chance on making it out of there in one piece."

"We are all very aware of what we are walking into, Warden Takashi," Jeong Jeong added in a solemn tone. "Any men you could spare to come with us would help us tremendously."

The warden nodded. "I understand, but there's a bit of a problem there. With Fire Lord Zuko and Masato now out of the palace, General Ichiro is the officer in charge, and he has just given me orders to send all of my guards to the Fire Nation Palace, to be placed under his direct control."

"Well, I don't see a problem with that," Sokka told him, "Zuko did want us to go talk to him too. He was the next stop on our list."

Warden Takashi shook his head. "I hate to put a damper on your plans, but I don't think you're going to have any luck there. General Ichiro hasn't been granting audiences to anyone, myself included, despite my numerous attempts. Though he didn't have any problems sending me a sealed bit of parchment with orders on it."

"I'm sure we can find _some_ way to talk to him."

"Well the problem is, even if you could get in to see him, I don't think it will do a bit of good. The general doesn't seem interested in any of the current events taking place in the city, and is content to hole up in the palace with his guards. I also have intel from a good source that he is replacing all of Masato's men with his own loyal soldiers. I believe his plan is to stay secured in the palace, and let whatever happens outside of the palace happen."

"You have someone inside the palace that is feeding you intel?" Master Pakku asked him.

"Well, not exactly…or not anymore, at least."

The group exchanged some confusing looks with each other, but they didn't get the chance to ask him any further questions as the door behind them opened. They turned to find two more guards coming into the room, followed by a small, rough looking boy. Despite his young age, he didn't seem the least bit ruffled about walking into a room of guards and strangers. His eyes, however, seemed to take in everything.

"Hey Takashi," the boy said with a slight drawl, "I didn't know you were expecting visitors."

"I didn't either." Warden Takashi aimed a meaningful stare at the small boy, "Though to be fair, I didn't expect you back so soon either." He glanced back at their group. "If you have questions on what is going on at the palace, you'd be better off asking him. Liem, for better or worse, is my only source of intel on what's going on around the palace right now."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Boss," Liem replied sarcastically. "You know, if you or your boys want to strut up to the palace and have a nice little chat over some tea with General Stiff Pants, go right ahead."

"Boy," Warden Takashi nearly growled, "if you don't mind that mouth of yours, I will have you scrubbing so many floors clean that you'll be smelling and tasting soap afterwards for a month."

"Alright, alright!" Liem replied with a huff. "Geez, I was just jokin'. No need to start an inquisition over it." Without missing a beat, he strode over to their group and gave a theatrical bow. "The name's Liem. Despite what the good warden may say, I do know my way around the capital, and can pretty much find out anything you want to know."

Master Pakku's tone was dripping with skepticism. "That's quite a claim for one who probably has not even seen their tenth birthday."

The young boy defiantly met his gaze. "Yeah, but I've spent every one of those years on the capital streets. Can you say the same thing?"

For a moment there was a stunned silence in the room, and then Bumi started laughing—or more like howling in laughter. He came over and then squeezed the slight boy against his side in a quick hug. "I like this one...he reminds me of myself when I was his age. Lots of spirit."

Warden Takashi grunted. "That's one way to describe it."

Something had been bothering Suki this whole time, so she finally spoke up. "So, you wouldn't happen to be the same Liem that has been helping out Zuko and Katara, have you?"

Liem grinned. "The one and only."

"Katara and Zuko told us a little bit about you, and that you might be able to help us."

Liem demeanor became much more serious. "Speaking of His Highness—where is he?"

"He's on his ship heading here. He'll probably be here in another two or three days at the rate they're going."

"Good, then he can go to the palace and put a leash on that rapid porcupine-wolf they call Ichiro."

"Actually, that won't be possible," Sokka interjected. "Zuko has to stay on his ship and make the Sons think that the only place he's heading is to Caldera Lake to surrender."

Liem's jaw dropped. "Wait...you just said 'surrender', but that can't be right...Zuko can't surrender to the Sons. They want to _kill_ him!" He looked around at the group, almost as if he was expecting them to reassure him it was a joke, but when he saw all the solemn faces around him, he grimaced. "He's really going to surrender to them? But why?"

"The Sons have Masato and Toph," Suki softly answered him, "and they told Zuko that if he didn't surrender, they would kill both of him."

Liem ducked his head and didn't say anything for a few moments. When he finally looked back up at her, she could tell that he was fighting off tears. "I was there when the Sons took both of them. I was fighting one of the Sons, and then before I knew it I...I passed out. When I woke up, they were gone."

Suki came over and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault Liem. I'm sure you did everything you can."

The young boy's tone was bitter. "Yeah...but it wasn't enough. Not by a long shot."

"Well, that's why we're here—we're going to rescue Masato and Toph."

"You are?" His eyes seemed cautiously hopeful.

Bumi slapped his hands together. "That's the plan!"

Next to Suki, Sokka scratched his head thoughtfully. "Now we just need to find out where they are. Zuko believes that they're going to be under Caldera Lake."

"Well, of course they're going to be under the lake," Liem told him, "the question is exactly _where_ under the lake. Their hideout is freakin' massive, and with only four entrances it's not going to be easy getting in."

"Wait a minute," Sokka looked at him in almost disbelief, "do you mean to tell me you've actually been in the Sons of Sozin's main hideout, _and_ know where all the entrances are?"

"Well, yeah...Toph and I had been scouting out the Sons' place for weeks until—" Liem suddenly looked crestfallen, "until she was captured."

"So could you point out on a map where all the entrances are?"

"Yeah, no problem."

Sokka looked very excited. "That's excellent. Our first objective was to locate where Toph and Masato were, and this will help give us a head start in accomplishing that. How much of the interior have you seen?"

Liem shook his head. "Not much, sorry to say. Even with Toph's super-duper human detection skills, we usually could only get about sixty or seventy paces down each tunnel before we ran into a ton of their guards."

"That's okay. Anything you could tell us is going to help so we can start mapping out their place. We'll need to break up into teams so we can survey each entrance as fast as we can, and then start to work further in."

Jeong Jeong sighed. "It would help if we had more people."

After a few moments of silence, Warden Takashi finally spoke up, "I think I could spare about fifty guards to send with you. It will leave us a little stretched thin here, but we should be able to manage."

"But won't you get in trouble with General Ichiro?" Aang asked him.

"You know Warden…" Liem had a mischievous glint in his eye. "Our 'friend' Ichiro never gave you a deadline for handing over your men. You could tell him that you need some time to get your guards together, just to delay him while they help look for Toph and Masato. So in a way, you wouldn't really be _disobeying_ him...you're just not hastily following orders."

Takashi seemed to mull over this for a few moments, before nodding his assent. "Makes sense. Besides, I'd rather my guards be helping your group than Ichiro any day."

"That will definitely help us out," Sokka commented, "Though I still wish we had a few more..."

Liem huffed. "Well, don't hold your breath waiting for Ichiro to help-you'll pass out before that will ever happen."

"Is there anyone else up the chain of command that could possibly help us out?"

"Not likely," Takashi answered him, "all the lower-ranking generals have fallen in line behind General Ichiro. The only other person that outranked Ichiro was High General Bujing. Fire Lord Zuko had him sent to the Prison Tower before he left, but now he has disappeared once again."

"And I just found out why," Liem glanced back at Warden Takaski, "that was the reason I came over to see you. High General Bujing is dead."

There were several gasps from around the room, and even the warden looked shocked. "He's dead? Do we know why or when it happened?"

"It's hard to tell, but it most likely happened when the Sons of Sozin attacked the Prison Tower and freed their men. Now _how_ it happened is a matter of public debate. Some people say the Sons freed Bujing and he was accidentally killed in the heat of the battle. Others say that Bujing managed to free himself during the battle and then was murdered by simple street thugs as he was trying to flee the city. _Another_ popular theory is that the Sons of Sozin are just methodically taking out anyone in the Fire Nation who has any authority, and Bujing was just next on their list." Liem shook his head in disbelief. " _And_ _then_ the least likely reason-though by far the most entertaining-is the belief that Ozai and Azula was behind it, and that they somehow managed to sneak a _whole other_ group of guards or assassins into the Prison Tower just to take out their obvious displeasure on their former employee. So take your pick on which rumor may _actually_ have some truth in it."

"Well, in the end I guess it really doesn't matter," Sokka told them. "For now, we'll just have to work with the group we got here." He stood a little taller then and rubbed his hands together, as if he was gathering his thoughts to speak. "Our first priority is to find out where exactly under Caldera Lake Toph and Masato are being held. We'll need to split into groups so we can cover more area more quickly. Each group should have at least one member of the Supreme Council leading it too."

Both Warden Takashi and Liem looked confused. "What Supreme Council is that?"

"Well it's...I guess it's the people in this room, for right now."

Suki saw Liem suddenly look almost nervous. "You know Liem, if you don't want to come down into the tunnels with us, you don't have to."

The young boy vigorously shook his head. "No chance of that happening. Toph or Masato wouldn't sit back and twiddle their thumbs while someone is in trouble, and I'm not about to either. And it's not the going down into the tunnels part that makes me nervous."

"Then what is it?"

Suki could see the shiver that ran through his slight frame. "It's the thought of what might happen to us if we get caught."

An uncomfortable silence fell on the room. After a few moments, Sokka cleared his throat. "Well...we'll just have to be extra careful to make sure that doesn't happen. We'll go in small groups to make sure we have extra eyes and ears to be on the lookout. First, I wanted to work on mapping out what we know about the Sons' hideout so far. Liem, can you help me with that?"

Liem nodded, and soon their group had a map and were pouring over its details. It seemed to Suki that Liem and Toph had indeed done a good job on scouting out all the entrances to the Son's underground tunnel network. A very serious tone permeated their words and actions as the group worked out their plans to further survey the areas. They would have some long days ahead of them, but the thought of friends pushed them onward.

* * *

"Good evening, General Iroh."

Iroh had been watching the steady stream of boxes and other cargo containers going up and down the plank connecting their ship to the pier, but he turned to face the man who addressed him. The man was probably close to the same age as he, and he was dressed in a Fire Nation uniform that looked a little older than usual, but still well kept. His greeting had been short, but respectful, and his gaze looked sincere. Iroh searched his memory to see if he had met the man before, but he didn't think so. He bowed his head politely. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting before. I'm afraid I don't know your name."

The other man let out a very short laugh. "I wouldn't expect you to, General. I've spent most of my time in the service running different prisons in and around the capital city, until your younger brother finally got fed up with me and sent me here to run the fort." A small smile crossed his lips. "He thought it was a punishment, but I actually got the better end of the deal. My name is Commander Mitsugu, and may I say that it is an honor to meet you in person, General Iroh. If there is anything I can do for you or Fire Lord Zuko, please let me know."

Footsteps behind them made them both turn, and it was Zuko that addressed the older man. "Actually Commander, I think there is something that you can help us with."

Commander Mitsugu bowed respectfully. "Whatever you need, Fire Lord Zuko."

His nephew's expression turned very serious. "Before I make my request, Mitsugu, I need to make sure you understand something first. I can't go into the details, but everything we do here needs to be kept as secret as possible. I don't want this to spread any further than the actual people who have to be involved. Do you think you and your troops here can do that?"

Mitsugu seemed a little surprised at the request, but after a moment he nodded. "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko. Since we are further outside the city, most of my soldiers prefer to stay here at our base or the marketplace nearby instead of going inside the caldera. If I tell them to keep things quiet, they will do so."

"Good. I want to keep to our normal routine so as not to raise any suspicions. Once our soldiers and extra supplies have been offloaded tonight, I will head with the ship to Harbor City to dock there. General Iroh and his companions, however, will not be going with me."

"Will they be staying here at the fort, Fire Lord Zuko? I can make accommodations for them if they need it."

Zuko shook his head. "That won't be necessary, Commander. They will be leaving as soon as they are able, which brings me to the next item of business." Zuko's expression was solemn and he handed the other man a small, rolled piece of parchment. "I am placing my uncle, General Iroh, in charge of our Fire Nation troops for the time being. You will obey any orders that come from him as if they were coming from me. I put my seal on the executive order to make it official. General Iroh will also be in charge of the force going up to the capital's Southern Prison."

"What force, Fire Lord Zuko?"

"The one I need your help in putting together, as soon as possible."

Iroh saw some confusion in the other man's expression, and so explained further. "Some of our companions arrived at the Southern Prison a few days ago, and we need to catch up with them as quickly as possible. We will also need extra soldiers at the prison, and we were hoping that you had some you could spare to come with us. If you were to run your fort with a skeleton crew, how many troops do you think you could send with us?"

"How soon do you need them?"

"We need the first group to leave with us as soon as possible. The second group could leave for the prison the following day."

Mitsugu didn't answer right away, but Iroh could see him doing the calculations in his head. "I would probably have about seventy or eighty soldiers that would be able to leave with you before sunset. I can start sending the word out for the rest of the troops to come back to the fort, so by the end of tomorrow I think we would have close to two hundred additional soldiers that we could send your way."

His nephew seemed pleased at his answer. "That would be a huge help, thank you Commander. In addition to your troops, we will also need some extra uniforms."

Iroh answered the unspoken question in the other man's gaze. "For myself and my companions who will be traveling with them. We want this to look like a normal troop transfer as much as possible."

"Yes, General, I will see it done." He turned to Zuko. "Is there anything else you will be needing Fire Lord Zuko?"

"No, Commander, that will be it...and thank you."

Mitsugu bowed. "I will take me leave then and get the preparations started. I will have one of my lieutenants stay here on the ship so he can escort General Iroh and his companions to the fort."

"Thank you Commander," Iroh told him. The elder commander bowed his head in respect towards him and then turned to head off the ship.

After a few moments Iroh turned back to his nephew, and made sure to keep his voice low. "Do you think it will be enough?"

He could tell that Zuko knew exactly what he was referring to. "I'm not sure...hopefully Warden Takashi and General Ichiro will have more soldiers to spare for us as well. In any case, some extra soldiers are better than no extra soldiers."

"That sounds suspiciously like something I would say."

That seemed to lighten his nephew's mood slightly. "This may come as a surprise, but I did actually pay attention to what you were saying most of the time, Uncle."

Iroh smiled. "Yes, and it only took years of traveling with me from one end of the world to the other while dodging patrols and nefarious plots for my words to finally start sinking in."

Zuko sighed. "I guess better late than never."

"Indeed." He affectionately patted his nephew on the shoulder, "We should probably head back inside the cabin again. We don't want to attract too much attention to ourselves...and the rest of us need to prepare to leave."

Zuko turned his face away from him, but not before Iroh saw a look of anguish cross his features. "Yeah…" he answered quietly, "I guess it's that time." His nephew didn't say anything else as he stepped away from him and headed towards the living quarters of the ship, with Iroh following him.

They both went back to the captain's cabin they were sharing. Zuko, who reached the door first, gave it a few hard raps to let Katara know they were there.

"Just a moment," they heard her call from within the room. Within a few moments, they could hear her footsteps approaching. She opened the door and glanced at both of them, but her gaze went right back to Zuko. His nephew opened his mouth as if he were going to speak, but quickly closed it again with a grimace. Katara, however, must have realized what he was trying to say because her frown deepened, and she gave a slight nod. "It's that time?"

"It is," his nephew answered quietly.

Iroh nodded. "I'm going to let the others know we are ready to leave."

"Alright," she answered, "just give me a few moments and I'll be ready too."

Iroh reluctantly left the solemn couple and made his way down the hall. Kenshin and Piandao were the next rooms down, so it didn't take long to let both of them know it was time to leave. Both of them grabbed their satchels and followed Iroh back to the captain's cabin to say their farewells to Zuko.

Piandao respectively bowed to Zuko. "May Agni grant you strength and watch over you on your path, Fire Lord Zuko."

"Thank you, Piandao, though if he really is there, I hope he watches over all of us—we're going to need it."

Piandao smiled. "There is strength in numbers, and we have a lot of good friends and companions here to help see this through...that is where my hope lies."

"That sounds a lot like something my uncle just told me."

"Well then it must be true," Piandao replied warmly, making Zuko finally smile a little. Zuko offered his arm, which Piandao tightly grasped and then they exchanged a quick hug before Piandao set off.

Kenshin stepped closer to Zuko and gave a deep bow. Iroh could see how nervous the slight secretary was, and he stuttered as he tried to speak. "F-Fire Lord Z-Zuko...it has been such a tre-tremendous honor—" but before the small man could continue, Zuko had stepped forward and, completely forgetting all about decorum, engulfed him in a hug.

Kenshin looked shocked at first, but very quickly a big smile came over him as he gladly returned the hug. When the two men separated, Zuko was smiling too. "And I've really enjoyed your company too, Kenshin. Thank you again for all of your help." His smile faded as some worry entered his voice. "Hopefully, this won't be a final farewell."

"Not if we have anything to do with it," Iroh gently reminded his nephew. His nephew glanced towards him, and almost immediately there were unshed tears in his eyes. Iroh had to blink several times to try to stave off tears himself, and then suddenly his nephew was already embracing him in a hug. Iroh closed his eyes and squeezed him back tightly.

There stood like that for several heartfelt moments. Finally Zuko pulled away from him, his voice thick with emotion. "I hate saying goodbye to you again...there is so much I want to say."

He gently grabbed his nephew's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I know, Zuko." Iroh had to concentrate to keep his voice steady. "But you don't need to say the words because I already know what is in your heart. Just remember to have faith in yourself and in your friends. Together, we will make it through."

Iroh saw a tear splash down upon his nephew's face as he nodded. He saw so much going through his nephew's gaze, but above all he could see the depth of his love and appreciation, and that made Iroh smile, even through the tears. "You will always have a special place in my heart, Zuko, and no matter what happens that will never change. And know that, no matter what happens or where you are...I will always be with you."

Iroh's vision was a blur as they hugged one more time. They had just parted when the door behind them opened and closed again. Iroh knew what it meant, and knew how hard this was going to be for his nephew.

Zuko turned around, and froze when he saw Katara. The two of them just stood there staring at each other, neither saying a word. Finally the sound of Katara's bag hitting the floor seemed to break the spell. In the span of a heartbeat, they were already in each other's arms.

As they whispered each other's names and held onto each other for dear life, Iroh's heart gave a little twist. He had witnessed too many scenes just like this in his past...and had been a part of too many of them himself. Different scenes began to flash in his mind, and with great difficulty he tucked the painful memories away again. _I, too, must stay in the present and not the past. With any luck, we will pull this whole thing off and come out on the other side, together._

"It may not even come to that, Katara...if everything goes according to plan."

"I know, or at least, I hope so."

Iroh opened his eyes and saw Katara's arms wrapped tightly around his nephew's neck, with both of their foreheads touching. They stayed like that for several moments, until Zuko softly murmured, "I love you, Katara."

"I love you, Zuko." Katara moved her hands to either side of Zuko's face, and then unabashedly pulled his nephew into a kiss.

Iroh was just contemplating whether or not he should stay or go when Katara pulled away from Zuko, ending their kiss. She picked up her bag and started to turn away, but then seemed to change her mind and looked at Zuko again. She lovingly ran her hand across his nephew's cheek, and it hovered there as they locked gazes again. When Katara spoke, she sounded a little breathless. "I'll be watching out for you."

Zuko didn't answer right away, but placed his hand above hers. "I know...that's what gives me hope."

Without saying another word, Katara took her hand away and turned away again. Her resolve seemed to waver for a moment, but suddenly a very determined look crossed her face. Without another look backwards, she walked away from Zuko and past Iroh on her way out. Iroh could see the anguish and longing clearly written on his nephew's face as he silently watched her go. With one last, somber farewell to his nephew, Iroh followed after her.

Their small group remained silent as they followed their designated lieutenant into the large fort. Once they had been shown to some private rooms, they quickly changed into the temporary uniforms that had been given to them. Iroh, Piandao, and Katara had no problems fitting into their uniforms, and while initially they had toyed with the idea of putting Kenshin into a uniform as well, they quickly had to abandon that idea. Even the smallest uniform they could find still looked huge on the diminutive secretary—to the point of it being comical. Iroh finally relented and let him stay in his fire nation clerical outfit. A clerk transferring with an army unit wasn't exactly routine, but neither was it unheard of either. Hopefully, with the four of them riding in the transport at the front of the soldiers, they would stay out of sight and avoid any unwanted questions.

True to Mitsugu's word, in a very short amount of time he had gathered about seventy soldiers and an armored vehicle for them to ride in. It was much smaller than the tanks they used in battles and sieges, and it still didn't have much in the way of comfort—but it was less exposed than riding on a komodo rhino or ostrich horse. Iroh, Piandao, and Kenshin passed the time talking and drifting from subject to subject, but Katara remained silent. At one point Kenshin tried bringing Katara into the conversation, but after only getting a one word response and a look from both himself and Piandao, he gave up. Iroh could tell she was in no mood to talk, and given the current circumstances, he couldn't blame her.

It was well into the night by the time their group had gotten into Caldera City and arrived at the gates of the southern prison. Their surprise late visit had, of course, raised several questions, but after Iroh had given them the orders from Commander Mitsugu—and a good look at his face—they had allowed them in without any issues. The rest of the soldiers split off to the barracks while Iroh and his small group were escorted to Warden Takashi. Iroh had hoped they weren't causing too much of an inconvenience by showing up at such a late hour. His worries, however, soon vanished as he realized that the warden was already entertaining a large group of people. When they were escorted into the warden's office, he could see that everyone in the room was gathered around a roughly drawn map that was laid on top of the large desk in the room. Iroh was pleasantly surprised when he realized he recognized most of the faces that turned to greet them.

"Katara!" Sokka, Suki, and Aang all shouted as they quickly came to give her hugs. Iroh also took a few moments to greet the rest of his companions before coming to stand in front of the warden.

"Greetings Warden Takashi. I am General Iroh, and I am here on behalf of my nephew, Fire Lord Zuko. I will be the acting commander in charge of the Fire Nation troops while Zuko is dealing with the Sons of Sozin." He reached into one of his pouches and produced another sealed parchment, which he handed over to the warden. "He wanted me to give you this."

The warden took the parchment and inspected the seal. Once he was satisfied, he broke the seal and quickly read the short message inside. "Your companions told me about what Fire Lord Zuko plans to do. He is still going through with it?"

"He is. His ship is at the fort just south of the city right now as we speak. They will be there a while longer offloading supplies before making their way to Harbor City. He will meet with the Sons' leader tomorrow on the eastern pier of Caldera Lake."

Takashi shook his head in disbelief. "And do you think there is any way he is going to survive the encounter?"

Iroh paused, for it was the same thought that continued to cross his mind every day since their return trip home. He tried to sound as convincing as possible. "I believe that if we all stay strong and work together as a team, then we have a good chance of not just saving Zuko, but Toph and Masato as well. It will not, however, be an easy feat. The Sons of Sozin has proven extremely resourceful and deadly, and quick to adapt to any situation they face. We will need all the help we can get."

"Well, as I told your companions, I have about fifty guards here that I can spare to help you with your mission. I know it's not a lot, but I was told any amount of help you could get, the better."

Iroh gave a slight bow of his head. "Indeed, I am thankful for your help Takashi. We came with about seventy soldiers of Commander Mitsugu's, so together with yours we will have close to a hundred and twenty men." He smiled, "Not including, of course, our present company."

Iroh saw Katara frown as she and her friends came and stood by one side of the desk. "Will that be enough though?"

It was Sokka that answered her. "Well, our best guesses are that there could be anywhere from fifty of them to over a hundred of them...so either we outnumber them two to one, or we have just as many as they do. Either way, you have to admit...we've faced worse odds."

"Yes, against regular firebenders, but the Sons of Sozin are way deadlier than that. Every one of their members is easily worth two or three regular Fire Nation troops."

A small boy standing near Takashi cleared his throat. "I'd say more than that. And to add to that happy fact, I know that they'll have some nasty surprises up their sleeve...like having a small stockpile of gunpowder that Agni only knows what they're scheming up a plan for."

That bit of information was new to Iroh. He turned his attention to the slender boy. "—Liem, is it?" When the boy nodded, he continued. "Do we know for the fact that they have gunpowder? And where is it?"

"I saw a few of them cart some into one of the entrances a few days ago. No telling though if they kept it there or moved it somewhere else."

"Which entrance was that?" Suki asked him.

"The eastern entrance," Liem quietly replied, "the same one where Zuko is supposed to meet them at."

Iroh could see Katara's eyes widen before she quickly averted her gaze. He could tell the others shared the same worry. "Let us not jump to any hasty conclusions," he told the others, "as Liem pointed out, they could have moved it anywhere inside their hideout by this point."

"Or they could be waiting to stack it up outside a palace gate to blow it wide open," Liem muttered, but loud enough so he could still be heard.

"That would be pretty bold," Piandao replied, "even for them."

"Well, they were bold enough to bust into the Prison Tower and break out their buddies, so I'm not putting anything by them right now."

"It is a possibility," Iroh admitted, "but right now it is not our most pressing worry, I'm afraid." He looked around at the others. "Have you been able to locate where Toph and Masato are being held?"

Sokka nodded. "Yes, we finally had a breakthrough earlier today. We've been going undercover and hiding by the entrances, watching for any Sons members going and out of all the exits. We overheard a few of them saying that there were extra guards at the southern entrance. That also seems to be the area where some special meals and some special potions are being made. It wasn't much to go on, but at this point we'll take anything. Aang checked it out...and he believes they're there."

Katara turned to Aang in surprise. "You didn't actually go down there, did you?"

Aang made a face. "Well...not exactly."

"What do you mean? Either you did or you didn't."

"Actually, I went there in the Spirit World."

Katara looked both surprised and confused at his answer. "But Toph or Masato wouldn't be there."

"No, they weren't there," Aang patiently explained, "but I saw other signs that make me think they are."

"What kind of signs?"

"I explored a large section of their hideout that spread out from the southern entrance. There were only two areas that looked like they were made to hold prisoners. One area didn't look like it was inhabited at all—the area was completely bare—but the other area had things both inside and outside the cells that people would be using. After I spent some more time there, I got the feeling that they were there."

"You mean you felt Toph and Masato there? How?"

Aang shrugged. "It's kind of hard to explain. I sat in one of the cells and meditated for a while, and suddenly I felt this familiar energy around me. It felt like Toph." He started to blush, "I just kind of know what her energy feels like...and it was the same feeling. I know it's her."

Iroh was very intrigued by Aang's story. "So you know that it is Toph, but can you tell if she is there _right now_? It could be that she was there at one time, but then was moved somewhere else."

"We thought about that too. I've been surveying their hideout in the Spirit World over the last couple days to help Sokka and Liem with their map and I've tried searching for other places that were similar, but I never felt Toph's energy." Aang looked very determined. "I know I can't exactly prove it, but everything in me says that Toph and Masato are in the prison cells near the southern entrance. That's where we need to mount our rescue mission."

Iroh looked around the room, "So are we in agreement that the southern entrance is where we need to focus for our rescue mission?"

Warden Takashi huffed. "It still seems a little crazy to me. That's quite a hunch to go on with so much riding on it."

"Yeah it sounds crazy—" Liem smirked, "but no crazier than knowing people who shoot lightning from their bare hands, or bring back people from the dead using a splash of water, or are able to 'see' even though they are blind and can serve as a walking, human lie detector." He shook his head. "I've stopped questioning what's possible with this crazy group."

Bumi laughed. "Well said, my boy!" He then looked at Aang, "I think Aang's got it right. He's definitely got my vote."

"If that's where Aang believes they are," Katara quickly agreed, "then that's where we need to go. He was able to find me in the Spirit World and help me find my way out just by following his intuition." She gave Aang a big smile. "I say we trust in him again."

Aang returned her smile, "Thanks, Katara."

"Then it sounds like we are in agreement," Iroh announced after he had surveyed the others. He then looked at Aang and Sokka. "Zuko told me that the Sons of Sozin's hideout under Lake Caldera has four entrances. Have we confirmed that?"

Sokka nodded. "Yes. With Liem's and Aang's help, we've been able to sketch out a rough map to show where the entrances are." Iroh stepped closer to the map on the desk and watched as Sokka pointed them out. "The northern entrance is northeast of the palace and Lake Caldera, or southeast of the Prison Tower, and located inside a small shack that's behind a local tavern. The western entrance is in a cellar of an inn just south of the palace and west of the lake. The southern entrance is in the cellar of a tavern a little west of the prison here." He then pointed due east of the palace. "The last entrance is in an abandoned shack on the eastern shore of Lake Caldera, just a small distance away from the main pier there. That's where the Sons said they are meeting Zuko." Sokka turned his attention to Iroh. "So when is Zuko planning to be there?"

Iroh sighed. "He is going to stay on his ship tomorrow morning when they dock in Harbor City to buy us some more time. He plans to be at the eastern pier of the lake by tomorrow noon."

Sokka gave a slight nod. "I think that should give us plenty of time to get everyone in place. The first priority will be getting to Toph and Masato and getting them out of there. Our second priority is to capture all of the members of the Sons of Sozin before they can escape. We'll have to break into four teams—one team for each entrance. The team at the southern entrance is the one that will be leading the strike team inside the Son's lair to rescue Toph and Masato."

"Timing will be crucial if we are to be successful in carrying out both of our objectives," Iroh added. "Zuko believes that their leader, Setsuko, will most likely have all the Sons gathered in their hideout when he goes to surrender, and will be focusing most of their people there where he is. He also believes that either Setsuko or Goro—or both— will be there at the eastern pier when he goes to surrender. This will hopefully draw their attention away from the other entrances, including the southern one where their prisoners are. The team at the southern entrance will have to make their rescue attempt before Zuko surrenders, or there is a risk that the Sons will carry out their threat and try to kill Toph and Masato either during or after Zuko surrenders. If, however, the rescue team goes in too early and rescues Toph or Masato well before Zuko has a chance to surrender to the Sons at the pier, then the Sons will realize that we are up to something and will escape, and we will lose our chance to capture them and their leaders."

"Which means…" Sokka commented as he looked back down at the map, "that the rescue team will have to wait until right before noon tomorrow to start Phase One."

Katara directed a dubious glance at her brother. "And what, exactly, is Phase One?"

"Well, rescuing Toph and Masato of course."

The young waterbender rolled her eyes. "Why can't you just say that then?"

Sokka looked at her as if the answer was obvious. "Because it's a highly secretive operation! We don't want to announce to the whole world what our plans are."

Bumi chuckled. "You can't argue with that logic."

"Spirits help me…" Katara muttered as she crossed her arms and gave her brother another irritating look.

Off to Iroh's right, he saw Piandao shift his stance and prepare to address the group. "This is also going to require coordination between all four teams. The other teams can't go into the Sons' hideout before the rescue team is successful or they risk exposing our plans."

"That's right," Sokka agreed. "The other teams will have to wait by each entrance and be prepared to capture any Sons trying to leave until we can get Toph and Masato out. Once we've accomplished that, then we can start Phase Two..."

Katara rolled her eyes again. "...and Phase Two being?"

"Swoop into the Son's hideout and bag all the bad guys," Sokka answered with a smile.

"Oh sure…" Liem muttered sarcastically, "it all sounds so easy when you put it like that."

Warden Takashi scowled. "And how is each team going to know when this...Phase One...is going to be complete?"

"That's a good question." Sokka scratched his chin thoughtfully. "We're going to need to find a way to let everyone know at the same time that the rescue mission was a success...like maybe a signal or something."

"It would have to be a pretty big signal," Piandao told him, "in order for all the teams across the city to see it."

"Something pretty big...and pretty high up."

"I think I can handle that."

Iroh and the rest of the group all glanced at Aang when he spoke up. "One way or another, I'll make sure to give a big signal that everyone can see once we've gotten Toph and Masato out. As soon as I do, the rest of the teams have to move in as soon as possible."

"So I can assume that means you want to be part of the rescue team?" Iroh asked him.

Aang nodded. "Yes. The whole rescue is based off of my hunch, so I want to be there...and I want to make sure Toph's okay." He blushed a little as he said it, but then quickly composed himself. "But I'm also going to need some help."

"Well count me in," Suki quickly replied, which made Aang smile.

"Alright!" Sokka exclaimed as he excitedly rubbed his hands together, "Team Avatar is back and heading up the attack!" He then quickly wrapped his arm around Suki and gave her a big wink. "Ready to kick some fire bender butt together again Sweetie?"

Jeong Jeong cleared his throat. "You know that some of us are firebenders too, right Sokka?"

"Of course! I just meant the evil firebenders, you know...not the firebenders with us that may have been evil in the past but are now good firebenders…"

Iroh couldn't help but smile a little at the younger boy's antics. "We will need to make sure that some of us will be with each team to assist the soldiers with "Phase Two" as Sokka calls it. Aang, Sokka, and Suki have volunteered to be part of the team going to the southern entrance. Katara and I will be going with the team to the eastern entrance where Zuko will be. That leaves the western and northern entrances still to be assigned."

Bumi elbowed Pakku, who was standing right beside him. "Well Pakku, are up for another spectacular show?"

Pakku smiled slightly as he nodded. "I am." He glanced back at Iroh. "Bumi and I can go with the team at the western entrance."

Jeong Jeong spoke up then. "And Piandao and I can head up the team for the northern entrance."

When Iroh saw Piandao nod, he continued. "Good. Then we each have our assigned team. By mid-morning, the teams need to be in position at their designated spots close to each entrance. It will be important to remain out of sight until the signal is given, especially for the team at the eastern pier. The Sons must believe that Zuko is still coming alone to surrender to them or we risk exposing all of our plans. The team at the southern entrance will infiltrate the prison just before noon to rescue Toph and Masato. Once they are safe, Aang will give the signal for the rest of the teams to move in. We must move and work together to make sure to capture all of the Sons of Sozin members. We can't risk any of them escaping so they can regroup later and retaliate."

"Like I said before," Liem muttered with a shake of his head, "Easy peasy."

Takashi gave him a hard look. "What do you have to complain about? You're going to be glued to my side the whole time this is going on."

"Oh yeah, because I'm _so happy_ about that. I'm trying _really_ _hard_ right now not to dance a jig in celebration."

Takashi's frown deepened, but before he could retort—and probably give the boy another tongue lashing—there was a knock on the door.

"Warden Takashi," a voice behind the door said, "I have an urgent message for you."

The warden huffed. "Fine, come in."

A young man in uniform came in, and after a quick, nervous glance around the room, walked straight over to the warden and handed him a piece of paper. "I was told it came from General Ichiro."

Takashi took the folded piece of parchment and unfolded it to read the message. After several long moments of uneasy silence while he read, he finally looked up at Iroh. "Well, this definitely doesn't help things. General Ichiro has commanded that my guards have been reassigned to him and that they need to transfer to the palace as soon as possible. He also informed me that I am to be relieved of my duty and title as warden of this prison. I'm supposed to come to the palace first thing in the morning."

"What!?" Piandao looked just as baffled as the rest of them. "But he doesn't have the authority to do that, especially since both Zuko and Iroh are back."

Liem uttered a short, humorless laugh. "If you think that sleazy, lying badgerfrog of a general cares about following the rules right now, you're dead wrong. He's already replaced all the guards loyal to Zuko and Masato within the palace with his own people, and now he's coming after the warden and his guards to do the same damn thing."

"Well, if he thinks he can come and try to force me and my men out of my own prison," Takashi practically growled, "he's going to be in for a nasty surprise."

Iroh shook his head. "We cannot afford to hole up and prepare for another confrontation here. We need every person and guard available tomorrow to confront the Sons of Sozin."

Sokka was the first to speak up. "So why don't we just let them come take the prison? Warden Takashi and the rest of his guards can come tag along with us tomorrow."

"I can't just leave the prison unguarded," Takashi told him. "We have criminals here in every part of the prison. I can't risk them breaking out and running loose in the city."

Sokka's face drooped. "Yeah...I guess that's a good point...we definitely don't want _more_ crazy psychos running around the city tomorrow than there already are. And some extra prison cells would come in handy after we round up some of the Sons. So what do we do?"

Iroh was silent as he contemplated that question. Zuko had filled him in about General Ichiro and his recent dealings with him. His nephew seemed to trust him, and had pointed out how the general had helped him in the past. Iroh, however, was not so certain about where the general's loyalty really did lie. In his experience, a person's actions did not always show their true intentions. "There is something more here at work, I fear," he told the others. "This move by General Ichiro is very disturbing, and it is creating more issues than we can afford at the moment. We were counting on Ichiro and his men to help us tomorrow in assisting with the Sons of Sozin. We cannot afford another enemy right now."

"So what is your plan, Iroh?" Piandao asked him.

Iroh frowned. "I think it is time that I paid a visit to the good general and informed him that there has been a change in leadership...and a change in plans."

Liem laughed almost gleefully. "Oh man, I would _love_ to see the look on his face when you tell him that."

Iroh smiled. "Well that is good to hear, because you will be coming along with me."

" _What_?!" Liem's smile disappeared in an instant. "You can't be serious! That man would rather spit in his own tea and drink it than talk to a lowly, dirty street urchin like me!"

Iroh had to try very hard not to laugh at the young boy. "Well, I guess you are going to have to be on your best behavior then. You seem to have some valuable information on him and the recent events around the palace, so I could use your help...and your company," he finished with a smile.

"Do I get a choice?" Liem asked, but as soon as the question left his lips, the warden aimed a particularly stony glare at the young lad.

"Sure, your choice is to either go with General Iroh, or stay here, and scrub every inch of every floor in this entire prison for a month solid. It's up to you."

"Fine, I'll go," Liem growled. He sighed as he met Iroh's gaze again. "Well, I hope you're better at staying out of trouble then Zuko is...for both of our sakes."

 _I dearly hope so too._ He focused his attention back at the others. "I doubt they will let anyone into the palace to visit General Ichiro in the middle of the night, regardless of the visitor. Liem and I will leave right before sunrise tomorrow morning and head to the palace. With luck, we will be back in time to rejoin our teams, and—if all goes according to plan—we will have more reinforcements."

"Then I guess it's all settled then," Sokka added, "Tomorrow, we're going to get our friends back and put the Sons of Sozin in their place once and for all."

Iroh and his companions lingered in the room still, and separate conversations started amongst the different pairs and groups around the room. Iroh stayed for a little while to catch up with his friends, but a part of his mind kept straying to the situation surrounding General Ichiro. While he was hopeful that his nephew's instincts were correct, the more he lingered on the topic, the more uneasy he became.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm probably repeating myself, but I am so excited to be at this point. We are about to jump into a multi-chapter (hopefully epic) showdown between Zuko and Gang and the Sons of Sozin-which officially puts us in the final stretch of this bad boy! :D

Thank you to everyone who has continued to keep up with my story and leave me feedback! It's been epic and I'm excited to finally be finishing this story :-)


End file.
